Dietary flavonoid intake and risk of periodontitis

Abstract Background The anti‐inflammatory effect associated with flavonoid‐containing foods and beverages could potentially impact the risk of periodontal disease. We prospectively investigate the associations between habitual flavonoid intake and incidence of periodontitis. Methods The study population was 34,940 men from the Health Professionals Follow‐Up Study, who were healthy and free of periodontal disease at baseline (1986). Participants in the study provided medical and dental history through mailed questionnaires biennially, and provided dietary data through semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaires every 4 years. We examined the associations between total flavonoids and six flavonoid subclasses (flavonoid polymers, anthocyanins, flavan‐3‐ols, flavanones, flavones, and flavonols) and incidence of periodontitis using Cox proportional hazard models. We adjusted for age, smoking, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, Alternative Healthy Eating Index, and diabetes. Results There was no association between total flavonoids and the risk of periodontitis. The hazard ratio comparing the highest quintile of total flavonoid to the lowest quintile was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.87 to 1.08, P‐ value for trend = 0.61). Similar comparisons for flavonoids subclasses also did not show significant associations. Conclusion No association was detected between habitual flavonoid intake and risk of periodontitis in the study population.