The tomato compound lycopene is associated with a lower risk of severe gum disease in older adults. Digest
Periodontitis (a gum disease that can destroy the tissues that support the teeth) affects a large share of older adults and has been tied to conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. In a new study, researchers examined whether low intake of the carotenoid lycopene, a red pigment found in fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, is linked to severe periodontitis in older adults.
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Researchers used data from a large US health survey called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). They analyzed 1,227 adults aged 65 to 79 who had both complete oral exams and two days of dietary recall. Participants were grouped based on whether they consumed at least 8,000 micrograms of lycopene per day from food, a level defined as sufficient in this study. Researchers then used statistical models to compare how common severe periodontitis was across groups, while accounting for age, smoking, education, sex, and race.
- Nearly half of the participants (48.7%) had some degree of periodontitis, and 5.6% had severe disease.
- Most older adults (77.9%) consumed insufficient levels of lycopene per day.
- Participants who consumed sufficient lycopene were about two-thirds less likely to have severe periodontitis than those with lower intake.
- Severe periodontitis was also more common among non-Hispanic Black participants compared with non-Hispanic White participants, among current smokers compared with never smokers, and among men compared with women.
Periodontitis is driven by a persistent inflammatory response in the gums triggered by bacterial plaque. Lycopene has antioxidant properties, meaning it can help counteract oxidative stress that contributes to this process. In theory, higher lycopene intake could therefore help reduce tissue damage in the gums.
Longitudinal studies and clinical trials will be needed to test whether increasing lycopene intake can slow progression to severe periodontitis. Even so, the results add to existing recommendations to eat a colorful, plant-rich diet that provides carotenoids and other protective compounds. In this clip, the late Dr. Bruce Ames explains how two other carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, can mitigate the harmful effects of singlet oxygen produced by sunlight in the eye.