Tomato nutrient may protect older adults from gum disease

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 3. March 2026

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NEW LONDON, Conn., US: Previous clinical studies have suggested that lycopene—a pigment abundant in tomatoes and other red fruits—may improve periodontal treatment outcomes when used as an adjunct therapy. In a new study, researchers from universities in the US and China have explored whether differences in dietary lycopene intake may help explain racial disparities in periodontal health among older people.

The research, led by Dr Katherine Kwong, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development at Connecticut College, analysed data on 1,227 adults aged 65–79 years taken from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It found that nearly half exhibited some degree of periodontitis and that severe periodontitis was significantly more common among non-Hispanic Black adults than among non-Hispanic white adults, as well as more common among men overall than among women.

Regarding lycopene intake, it reported that over three-quarters of the participants were not consuming enough. Adequate dietary lycopene intake was inversely associated with severe periodontitis among non-Hispanic white adults; however, this link was not observed among non-Hispanic Black adults.

Discussing the results, the authors pointed to previous research findings that biological and social factors may contribute to different risk patterns underpinning racial disparities in periodontal health. According to the authors, the findings of the current study may indicate that diet-related factors could interact with broader determinants of periodontal disparities. Although the study’s design meant it could not establish cause and effect, the findings point to a potentially under-appreciated role of diet in periodontitis risk beyond sugar intake, particularly in older populations where prevalence remains high.

The authors concluded that the findings “suggest that targeted interventions using dietary lycopene as a preventative measure to delay or prevent periodontitis onset should be race and sex specific”. They called for further research to determine whether the correlation between dietary lycopene intake and periodontitis is causal and whether higher intake could prevent or slow disease progression.

The study, titled “Lycopene, race and periodontitis: Disparities in older adults”, was published in the February 2026 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging.

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Dental research Dietary habits Lycopene Periodontal disease Preventive dental care Sex and gender

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