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The impact of intermittent fasting on oral health
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Metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence continues to climb significantly worldwide in today’s ad libitum society. MetS has tremendous societal and economic ramifications, making it imperative to develop effective strategies for preventing and controlling it to alleviate this growing burden. Periodontal disease and MetS are associated with several risk factors. Studies in the past have demonstrated that obesity, cardiovascular illness, and type 2 diabetes mellitus have a negative effect on the severity of the periodontal disease. Patients with metabolic syndrome have elevated serum levels of proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Similar inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein, are increased in patients with severe periodontal disease. Remarkably, intermittent fasting is underpinned by scientific evidence, claiming to be the most effective non-pharmacological, potential therapeutic alternative for combating a wide range of metabolic, inflammatory, and lifestyle-related diseases. Nonetheless, an insufficient investigation has been performed to determine whether intermittent fasting has therapeutic benefits on periodontal inflammation and diseases. Here, we show the interrelationship between metabolic syndrome and periodontal disease and contextualize the beneficial impact of intermittent fasting in modulating the chronic metabolic and periodontal inflammatory response. We also anticipate that this review paves the way for further exploration of intermittent fasting as a unique research paradigm representing a cost-effective alternative strategy to conventional disease management in patients with periodontal diseases and metabolic syndrome which may serve as the foundation for an integrative vision relevant to primary, diagnostic, and therapeutic purposes.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with several microvascular and macrovascular complications, such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular diseases. The pathogenesis of these complications is complex, and involves metabolic and hemodynamic disturbances, including hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and immune dysfunction. These disturbances initiate several damaging processes, such as increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inflammation, and ischemia. These processes mainly exert their damaging effect on endothelial and nerve cells, hence the susceptibility of densely vascularized and innervated sites, such as the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Since the oral cavity is also highly vascularized and innervated, oral complications can be expected as well. The relationship between DM and oral diseases has received considerable attention in the past few decades. However, most studies only focus on periodontitis, and still approach DM from the limited perspective of elevated blood glucose levels only. In this review, we will assess other potential oral complications as well, including: dental caries, dry mouth, oral mucosal lesions, oral cancer, taste disturbances, temporomandibular disorders, burning mouth syndrome, apical periodontitis, and peri-implant diseases. Each oral complication will be briefly introduced, followed by an assessment of the literature studying epidemiological associations with DM. We will also elaborate on pathogenic mechanisms that might explain associations between DM and oral complications. To do so, we aim to expand our perspective of DM by not only considering elevated blood glucose levels, but also including literature about the other important pathogenic mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and immune dysfunction.
Humans in modern societies typically consume food at least three times daily, while laboratory animals are fed ad libitum. Overconsumption of food with such eating patterns often leads to metabolic morbidities (insulin resistance, excessive accumulation of visceral fat, etc.), particularly when associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Because animals, including humans, evolved in environments where food was relatively scarce, they developed numerous adaptations that enabled them to function at a high level, both physically and cognitively, when in a food-deprived/fasted state. Intermittent fasting (IF) encompasses eating patterns in which individuals go extended time periods (e.g., 16–48 hours) with little or no energy intake, with intervening periods of normal food intake, on a recurring basis. We use the term periodic fasting (PF) to refer to IF with periods of fasting or fasting mimicking diets lasting from 2 to as many as 21 or more days. In laboratory rats and mice IF and PF have profound beneficial effects on many different indices of health and, importantly, can counteract disease processes and improve functional outcome in experimental models of a wide range of age-related disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease Parkinson’s disease and stroke. Studies of IF (e.g., 60% energy restriction on 2 days per week or every other day), PF (e.g., a 5 day diet providing 750–1100 kcal) and time-restricted feeding (TRF; limiting the daily period of food intake to 8 hours or less) in normal and overweight human subjects have demonstrated efficacy for weight loss and improvements in multiple health indicators including insulin resistance and reductions in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which IF improves health and counteracts disease processes involve activation of adaptive cellular stress response signaling pathways that enhance mitochondrial health, DNA repair and autophagy. PF also promotes stem cell-based regeneration as well as long-lasting metabolic effects. Randomized controlled clinical trials of IF versus PF and isoenergetic continuous energy restriction in human subjects will be required to establish the efficacy of IF in improving general health, and preventing and managing major diseases of aging.
Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of obesity and overweight on the oral/dental health and blood biochemistry parameters in children.Methods A total of 87 children (29 boys, 58 girls) aged 1-18 presenting to our paediatric endocrinology outpatient clinic were included in the study. The patient group consisted of children with obesity/overweight and the control group consisted of children with normal weight. Paediatric patients were examined simultaneously by a paediatrician and a paediatric dentist. Oral/dental health examinations of all children included in the study were performed by a specialist paediatric dentist and dmft/DMFT (decayed, missing and filled teeth) values were calculated separately in the mixed dentition period. The Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs 23 index and the dental plaque 35 index were evaluated at oral/dental health examinations. Oral and dental health examination findings and blood biochemistry parameters were compared between the two groups.Results While DMFT, dental plaque index, blood c-reactive protein (CRP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were significantly increased in children with overweight/obesity compared to children with normal weight, there was no difference in terms of daily toothbrushing habits and last dental examination times. Overweight/obesity was found to be associated with the dental plaque and DMFT/dmft index, and elevation in the blood biochemistry parameters CRP and PTH among the children in this study.Conclusion The observation of significant elevation in DMFT and dental plaque indices and numbers of filled deciduous teeth showed that oral/dental health problems and dental decay may emerge more frequently in children with overweight/obesity. Children with overweight should be routinely provided with dental care as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes paediatricians and dentists.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is the practice of restricting food intake for 12 to 48 hours per fasting cycle over a prolonged period of time. Previous work shows beneficial health effects such as weight loss and lower risk for cardiometabolic diseases. Although reduced calorie intake may account for some of the observed benefits of intermittent fasting, exact mechanisms are still unclear. Recent evidence indicates that intermittent fasting may lead to remodeling and increased taxonomic diversity in the human gut microbiome. In particular, the Lachnospiraceae family of anaerobic bacteria increased during fasting. This family, in the order Clostridiales, promotes butryogenesis in the gut, a process that is associated with healthful metabolic and prolongevity effects. IF-associated alterations to the microbiome may play a key role in the metabolic and potential healthspan-enhancing benefits of IF and dietary restriction.