Nutrition-linked chronic disease and periodontitis: are they the two faces of the same coin?

There is increasing evidence of a relationship between periodontitis and several nutrition-linked chronic conditions, such as obesity, dyslipidaemia and metabolic syndrome, with a putative bidirectional influence between periodontal disease and each condition. An association between several dietary factors and the progression of periodontitis is relevant to this relationship. Thus, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, lactic acid foods, soy products and a diet rich in vegetables and fresh food appear to be favourable for better periodontal health, whereas a lipid-rich diet may be detrimental to periodontal tissues.