A fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) significantly reduced inflammatory markers in both the blood and gum tissue of patients with periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the tissues that support the teeth, according to a clinical study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (JCP).
The study was conducted by Giuseppe Mainas and Luigi Nibali of King's College London. A total of 28 patients with diagnosed periodontitis were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of two groups: standard periodontal treatment alone or standard treatment combined with an FMD regimen.
FMD, or fasting-mimicking diet, is designed to reproduce many of the biological effects of fasting while allowing limited food intake. During each five-day cycle, participants consumed approximately 1,100 calories per day on the first two days and 750 calories per day from days three through five, followed by a return to their usual diet. In this study, the five-day cycle was repeated three times over a three-month period.
Periodontitis is caused by bacterial plaque, but the severity of the disease is strongly influenced by the body's immune response. Chronic inflammation in the oral cavity has also been linked to an increased risk of stroke and cognitive impairment, as periodontal bacteria can enter the bloodstream and potentially reach the brain.
After six months of follow-up, patients in the FMD group showed significant reductions in systemic inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as lower levels of local inflammatory biomarkers in the gingival crevicular fluid surrounding the teeth.
According to the researchers, these effects may result from reduced oxidative stress and the reprogramming of immune cells toward a more anti-inflammatory state.
However, the rate of periodontal healing itself was similar in both groups. The authors conclude that although the fasting-mimicking diet did not accelerate gum tissue repair, it appeared to reduce the body's overall inflammatory burden, which could have broader benefits for cardiovascular and neurological health.
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