5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  Insufficient dietary lycopene intake is linked to a higher risk of severe periodontitis in older US adults.

• 2

  The study analyzed data from 1,227 adults aged 65 to 79 years using NHANES between 2009 and 2014.

• 3

  Severe periodontitis prevalence was 2.4% among those with sufficient lycopene intake versus 6.5% with insufficient intake.

• 4

  Racial disparities were evident, with non-Hispanic Black participants nearly three times more likely to have severe periodontitis.

• 5

  The findings suggest dietary lycopene may be a modifiable factor for periodontal health, warranting further research.