Following a vegetarian diet may be associated with a greater risk for dental erosion

In February 2020 researchers from The Netherlands and Germany published their review of the medical and scientific literature to assess the effect of following a vegetarian diet on dental health, including caries development, dental erosion and number of natural teeth. A total of 21 studies were included in the review. Results showed that a vegetarian diet was associated with a higher risk for dental erosion and a lower risk of decayed, missing and filled teeth. However, it should be noted that the quality of most of the studies was poor and the findings relating to decayed, missing and filled teeth became insignificant when only studies on adults were assessed. There was inconsistent evidence for a link between following a vegetarian diet and dental caries or the number of natural teeth.

Smits KPJ et al. Vegetarian diet and its possible influence on dental health: A systematic literature review. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2020 Feb;48(1):7-13.

Leave a Reply