Many different factors have direct consequences for oral and systemic health. Among them is the food we eat – a balanced diet is crucial to support bodily functions, aid mental health, and reduce the risk of developing systemic conditions. For dental professionals, advising patients on how to improve their diet forms part of a comprehensive approach to their care. It can also have a significant impact on treatment outcomes, helping the mouth to heal.
Mind
Dietary patterns and nutrition have a direct effect on brain health and cognitive function. A balanced diet – as would be expected – is most beneficial.[i] The food and drink consumed can also influence mood, with vegetable-based, glycaemic load-based, ketogenic and paleo diets associated with positive emotions.[ii]
Beyond this, eating habits impact mental wellbeing. While further investigation is required, initial evidence indicates a possible association between diet and depression.[iii] In particular, diets high in fish or dietary Omega-3 were linked to fewer depressive symptoms in some situations. High consumption of processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats has also been linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders.[iv]
A Mediterranean diet has been identified as an effective, anti-inflammatory option that also reduces the risk of depression.[v] As such, diet is an important consideration in mental health interventions, combined with other therapies to help individuals reduce symptoms and support enhanced wellbeing.
Body
The impact of a balanced diet on the body is more broadly understood. The Mediterranean diet once again comes out on top for enhanced health-related quality of life, with the consumption of sufficient fruit and vegetables a key component.[vi]
In addition, balanced nutrition reduces the risk factors for a number of systemic conditions, including type 2 diabetes,[vii] cardiovascular and coronary heart disease,[viii] and cancer,[ix] among several others. With a growing interest in the dangers of ultra-processed foods, there is also increasing evidence of the adverse health outcomes associated with these items, which include a higher risk of cardiometabolic outcomes and mortality.[x]
Where key ingredients are found lacking in one’s diet, supplements have been shown to deliver clinical advantages to health.[xi] However, there is limited high-quality evidence for their role in areas like weight loss[xii] and variable evidence for their impact on health.[xiii] Of interest to the healthcare community is research into the effects of nutritional supplements for wound healing, with initial reports that arginine and Omega-3 supplementation led to improved outcomes.[xiv] As such, individuals should seek the appropriate professional advice if considering supplement intake.
Mouth
This is particularly relevant in dentistry given the impact that nutrition can have on the mouth. For example, the literature suggests an association between dietary vitamin D and improved oral health, especially periodontal health – although further evidence is required to confirm the relationship.[xv] Vitamin D is also critical in the osseointegration of dental implants.[xvi]
More broadly speaking, diet influences every aspect of oral health, from the general oral microbiome to the risk of gingival inflammation, and periodontal disease. Avoiding high-sugar and ultra-processed foods helps to prevent inflammation and oral dysbiosis, while improving immune regulation.[xvii] Diet also has an important role to play in caries prevention. An extensive body of research has shown this to be a serious problem in children, whose risk of caries increases substantially with regular consumption of sugary food and drink.[xviii]
A supportive role
The dental team can provide a wealth of support for patients who are looking to improve their diet for better health and wellbeing. Dietary advice and guidance should focus on the basics, with training available to practitioners who want to learn more about how to help patients in this area. A growing number of general dental practitioners are also screening patients to identify potential nutritional deficiencies – such as for vitamin D – and encourage GP engagement prior to commencing or alongside dental treatment.
Oral hygiene remains the most powerful tool in the professional’s and the patient’s arsenal when it comes to preventing both dental and systemic disease. Recommending easy-to-use yet highly effective products like the FLEXI interdental brushes by TANDEX will help patients perform efficient interdental cleaning in tandem with daily brushing. There is also an opportunity to win a TANDEX FLEXI Educator Kit, through a simple quiz, that supports hands-on education during appointments, ensuring that patients have all the information and guidance they need to implement the solutions for maximum success.
Ultimately, the dental team is well-positioned to support patients as they adopt a balanced diet for healthier lifestyles. This, combined with excellent oral hygiene, is a major contributor to both dental and systemic wellbeing.
TANDEX are giving dental professionals the opportunity to win a FREE FLEXI Educator Kit by answering just a few questions! Enter the quiz by scanning the code or following this link https://form1.tandex.de/
For more information on Tandex’s range of products, visit https://tandex.dk/
Our products are also available from DHB Oral Healthcare https://dhb.co.uk/
Author: Jacob Watwood on behalf of Tandex – Rodericks Dental Partners Associate dentist at Fieldside Dental Practice
[i] Zhang, R., Zhang, B., Shen, C. et al. Associations of dietary patterns with brain health from behavioral, neuroimaging, biochemical and genetic analyses. Nat. Mental Health 2, 535–552 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00226-0
[ii] Arab A, Mehrabani S, Moradi S, Amani R. The association between diet and mood: A systematic review of current literature. Psychiatry Res. 2019 Jan;271:428-437. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.014. Epub 2018 Dec 4. PMID: 30537665.
[iii] Molero P, De Lorenzi F, Gędek A, Strater C, Popescu E, Ortuño F, Van Der Does W, Martínez-González MA, Molendijk ML. Diet quality and depression risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. J Affect Disord. 2025 Aug 1;382:154-166. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.03.162. Epub 2025 Mar 28. PMID: 40158860.
[iv] Elsayed, Mahmoud & Khabiry, Hashim & Mohamed, Yara & Swelam, Karim & Ramdan, Shahd. (2025). Understanding the Relationship Between Mental Health and Dietary Patterns: A Systematic Review of Recent Findings (P5-1.004). Neurology. 104. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000212733.
[v] Lassale C, Batty GD, Baghdadli A, Jacka F, Sánchez-Villegas A, Kivimäki M, Akbaraly T. Healthy dietary indices and risk of depressive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Mol Psychiatry. 2019 Jul;24(7):965-986. doi: 10.1038/s41380-018-0237-8. Epub 2018 Sep 26. Erratum in: Mol Psychiatry. 2019 Jul;24(7):1094. doi: 10.1038/s41380-018-0299-7. Erratum in: Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Jul;26(7):3657. doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01056-7. PMID: 30254236; PMCID: PMC6755986.
[vi] Vajdi, M., Farhangi, M.A. A systematic review of the association between dietary patterns and health-related quality of life. Health Qual Life Outcomes 18, 337 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-020-01581-z
[vii] Jannasch F, Kröger J, Schulze MB. Dietary Patterns and Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. J Nutr. 2017 Jun;147(6):1174-1182. doi: 10.3945/jn.116.242552. Epub 2017 Apr 19. PMID: 28424256.
[viii] Threapleton D E, Greenwood D C, Evans C E L, Cleghorn C L, Nykjaer C, Woodhead C et al. Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2013; 347 :f6879 doi:10.1136/bmj.f6879
[ix] Kasper M, al Masri M, Kühn T et al. Sustainable diets and cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinicalMedicine, 2025; 83
[x] Lane M M, Gamage E, Du S, Ashtree D N, McGuinness A J, Gauci S et al. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses BMJ 2024; 384 :e077310 doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-077310
[xi] Cawood AL, Elia M, Stratton RJ. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of high protein oral nutritional supplements. Ageing Res Rev. 2012 Apr;11(2):278-96. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2011.12.008. Epub 2011 Dec 22. PMID: 22212388.
[xii] Batsis JA, Apolzan JW, Bagley PJ, Blunt HB, Divan V, Gill S, Golden A, Gundumraj S, Heymsfield SB, Kahan S, Kopatsis K, Port A, Parks EP, Reilly CA, Rubino D, Saunders KH, Shean R, Tabaza L, Stanley A, Tchang BG, Gundumraj S, Kidambi S. A Systematic Review of Dietary Supplements and Alternative Therapies for Weight Loss. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2021 Jul;29(7):1102-1113. doi: 10.1002/oby.23110. PMID: 34159755; PMCID: PMC8231729.
[xiii] Yu T and Ding C (2025) Efficacy of dietary supplements on sports performance outcomes: a systematic review of evidence in elite athletes. Front. Nutr. 12:1675654. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1675654
[xiv] Daher GS, Choi KY, Wells JW, Goyal N. A Systematic Review of Oral Nutritional Supplement and Wound Healing. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2022 Dec;131(12):1358-1368. doi: 10.1177/00034894211069437. Epub 2022 Jan 19. PMID: 35043693.
[xv] Ab Malik N, Mohamad Yatim S, Mokhtar KN, et al. Oral health and vitamin D in adult: a systematic review. British Journal of Nutrition. 2023;129(2):218-230. doi:10.1017/S0007114522000964
[xvi] Buzatu BLR, Buzatu R, Luca MM. Impact of Vitamin D on Osseointegration in Dental Implants: A Systematic Review of Human Studies. Nutrients. 2024 Jan 9;16(2):209. doi: 10.3390/nu16020209. PMID: 38257102; PMCID: PMC10819660.
[xvii] Curca FR, Luchian I, Bida FC, Virvescu DI, Rotundu G, Butnaru OM, Balan G, Surlari Z, Georgescu A, Pasarin L, Budala DG. From Diet to Oral and Periodontal Health: Exploring the Crucial Role of Nutrition-A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2026 Jan 5;18(1):168. doi: 10.3390/nu18010168. PMID: 41515284; PMCID: PMC12787587.
[xviii] Large JF, Madigan C, Pradeilles R, Markey O, Boxer B, Rousham EK. Impact of unhealthy food and beverage consumption on children’s risk of dental caries: a systematic review. Nutr Rev. 2024 Nov 1;82(11):1539-1555. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuad147. PMID: 38086176; PMCID: PMC11465133.
