Relationship between nutrology and oral health: a systematic review of major clinical findings

Abstract

Introduction: Food and nutrition are fundamental in maintaining the general and oral health of populations. Health status can be affected by nutrient deficiency and vice versa. Dietary guidelines were developed to provide evidence-based food and beverage recommendations to populations to promote a diet that meets nutritional needs and prevents diet-related illness. Objective: Aimed to carry out a concise systematic review to elucidate through clinical studies the real relationship between nutrition and oral health. Methods: The rules of the Systematic Review-PRISMA Platform. The research was carried out from August to October 2022 and developed based on Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar, using scientific articles from 2005 to 2022. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: A total of 125 articles were found. In total, 75 articles were fully evaluated and 35 were included and evaluated in this systematic review. It was concluded that food and nutrition are fundamental in maintaining the general and oral health of populations. Health status can be affected by nutrient deficiency and vice versa. Nutrology can promote a diet that meets nutritional needs and prevent diet-related diseases such as tooth decay. It was evidenced that malnutrition can significantly affect oral health and vice versa. A diet lacking in nutrients can lead to the progression of oral cavity disease by altering tissue homeostasis, reducing resistance to microbial biofilm, and decreasing tissue healing. It can also affect the development of the oral cavity.