It’s a discovery likely to raise a smile in dentists’ waiting rooms nationwide – eating chocolate may halve the risk of gum disease.
Researchers suspect antioxidants from cocoa beans, particularly found in dark chocolate, may be the reason.
Cheese and unsalted peanuts are also linked to lower risk, but filtered coffee and low-calorie drinks are associated with a higher likelihood of periodontitis.
‘Our findings suggest the potential of personalised diets,’ reported the study by Chongqing Medical University in China.
It used data from the UK Biobank which has lifestyle and health information on more than 500,000 people aged 40 to 69.
Chocolate and cheese are linked to a 54 per cent lower risk of gum disease, and unsalted peanuts with a 71 per cent lower risk.
Rice is associated with a 58 per cent reduced risk, says the study in journal Frontiers In Genetics.
But drinking filtered coffee gives you a 42 per cent higher chance of gum disease and low-calorie drinks are linked to a 57 per cent higher likelihood. Additives in low-calorie drinks may be a contributory factor.
Dark chocolate contains flavonoids and other antioxidants which may have a lowering effect on inflammation in gum disease.