The foods we eat on a regular basis influence the makeup of the bacteria — both good and bad — in our mouths. And researchers are finding that this collective of bacteria known as the oral microbiome likely plays a large role in our overall health, in addition to its previously known associations with tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Scientists from the University at Buffalo have shown how eating certain types of foods impacts the oral microbiome of postmenopausal women. They found that higher intake of sugary and high glycemic load foods — like doughnuts and other baked goods, regular soft drinks, breads and non-fat yogurts — may influence poor oral health and, perhaps, systemic health outcomes in older women due to the influence these foods have on the oral microbiome.
Sign up for Oral Health Group’s weekly e-newsletter to have news delivered straight to your inbox!
