Vegetarians Have Better Oral Health Than Meat-Eaters, Study Claims
A study conducted by German researchers has indicated that vegetarians have better oral health than meat-eaters.
According to the study, which was carried out at the Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry at the Hannover Medical School, vegetarians tend to have healthier gums than meat-eaters. Furthermore, they also have a lower risk of tooth loss, bleeding and inflamed gums.
Despite the positive news for vegetarians, the study also indicated that vegetarians are less likely to visit their dentist on a regular basis, which may be a reason why their risk of dental decay is higher.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation said that diet plays a very important role in oral health and is imperative that people are aware of how diet affects oral health. The good news is that gum disease and tooth decay are preventable and a good oral hygiene routine, regular visits to the dentist and a healthy diet can help to drastically reduce the risk of such ailments.
Dr Carter said that the vegetarian diet is often beneficial for oral health, but there are also risks associated with avoiding food groups and vegetarians may suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which may affect their oral health.
Regular dental check-ups will allow patients to ensure that their teeth and gums are healthy and learn about any changes they could make to their diet to improve their oral health and reduce their risk of certain illnesses.
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