Consuming lycopene -- an antioxidant found in certain red and pink vegetables and fruits, like tomatoes -- may be linked to a lower risk of developing severe gum disease, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging.
Furthermore, dietary lycopene intake may be especially beneficial for non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients the age of 65, the authors wrote.
“Insufficient lycopene intake was a risk factor for periodontitis (PD) development,” wrote the authors, led by Katherine Kwong of Connecticut College (J Nutr Health Aging, December 13, 2025, Vol. 30:2, 100759).
To explore this link, data from three consecutive U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2009-2014) were combined for analysis. The final sample included 1,227 adults who had complete dietary lycopene data and oral health records, they wrote.
Lycopene intake was assessed using a two-day dietary recall questionnaire, while oral health status was determined through clinical examinations. Mild and moderate periodontal disease cases were grouped as non-severe and compared with cases of severe periodontal disease, alongside collected demographic information.
Participants with severe PD reported a mean daily lycopene intake of 3,847 ± 360 mcg compared with 5,452 ± 498 mcg in the non-severe PD group and 5,278 ± 338 mcg among those without PD (p = .006). Older adults with sufficient dietary lycopene had fewer severe PD diagnoses than those with insufficient intake (2.4% versus 6.5%, p = 0.04), and sufficient intake was associated with lower odds of severe PD after adjustment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17 to 0.65; p = 0.002), they wrote.
Additionally, NHB participants represented 10.5% of the sample but accounted for 12.2% of severe PD cases, nearly three times higher than non-Hispanic white (NHW) participants (p = 0.0004). After adjusting for covariables, NHB participants had higher odds of severe PD than NHW participants (OR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.46 to 5.45; p = 0.003), and race significantly moderated the relationship between lycopene intake and severe PD (p < 0.0001).
The study, however, had limitations. Routine, preventive professional oral care could not be evaluated because the data were unavailable, the authors added.
“Dietary lycopene intake is associated with reduced risk of severe PD, particularly in NHW individuals over 65 years old,” Kwong and colleagues concluded.
