title: Intake of dairy products in relation to periodontitis in older Danish adults.
abstract: This cross-sectional study investigates whether calcium intakes from dairy and non-dairy sources, and absolute intakes of various dairy products, are associated with periodontitis. The calcium intake (mg/day) of 135 older Danish adults was estimated by a diet history interview and divided into dairy and non-dairy calcium. Dairy food intake (g/day) was classified into four groups: milk, cheese, fermented foods and other foods. Periodontitis was defined as the number of teeth with attachment loss ≥3 mm. Intakes of total dairy calcium (Incidence-rate ratio (IRR) = 0.97; p = 0.021), calcium from milk (IRR = 0.97; p = 0.025) and fermented foods (IRR = 0.96; p = 0.03) were inversely and significantly associated with periodontitis after adjustment for age, gender, education, sucrose intake, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, vitamin D intake, heart disease, visits to the dentist, use of dental floss and bleeding on probing, but non-dairy calcium, calcium from cheese and other types of dairy food intakes were not. Total dairy foods (IRR = 0.96; p = 0.003), milk (IRR = 0.96; p = 0.028) and fermented foods intakes (IRR = 0.97; p = 0.029) were associated with reduced risk of periodontitis, but cheese and other dairy foods intakes were not. These results suggest that dairy calcium, particularly from milk and fermented products, may protect against periodontitis. Prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Dietary Studies, Institute of Preventive Medicine, Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. AAR@ipm.regionh.dk
authors.forename: Amanda R A
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Adegboye
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Poul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holm-Pedersen
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Avlund
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: Berit L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Heitmann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009909:Oral Health; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: calcium; dairy products; elderly; oral health; periodontitis; vitamin D