Investigators have examined whether starch intake may impact periodontal status, according to a recent study.
Starch—the primary carbohydrate in the diet—is known to affect postmeal blood glucose levels. The three primary categories of starch include rapidly digestible starch that is easily converted into glucose; slowly digestible starch found in pastas, nuts, and seeds; and resistant starch like whole grains and legumes that do not undergo digestion. Previous studies have suggested potential protective effects of whole grains on periodontal health, though evidence was of low quality. As a result, there are still gaps in understanding the benefit of different types of starch on periodontal health.
In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, investigators analyzed the outcomes of 1,369 patients aged 30 to 82 years (mean age = 47.4 ± 11.1 years) who participated in the Finnish Health 2000 survey.
At baseline and again at 2004/2005 and/or 2011, patients completed validated food frequency questionnaires reporting their consumption of potatoes, fried potatoes, roots and tubers, pasta, whole grains, legumes, and total starches. Clinical examinations assessed the number of teeth with periodontal pocketing ≥4 mm. Investigators then used mixed-effects negative binomial regression models to determine changes in periodontal status in correlation with starch intake.
The mean number of teeth with periodontal pocketing was 4.1 ± 5.6 at baseline, 6.3 ± 5.6 after a 4- or 5-year follow-up, and 4.8 ± 5.9 after an 11-year follow-up. The investigators found no association between baseline total starch intake and long-term changes in the number of teeth with periodontal pocketing ≥4 mm. However, a baseline intake of whole grains was associated with improved periodontal status at the beginning of the study, but this effect diminished over time.
Further observational and intervention studies may be needed to better understand the impact of different classifications of starch, rather than total starch intake, on periodontal health.
No conflicts of interest were disclosed.