Lycopene Intake Linked to Lower Severe Periodontitis Risk in Older Adults

Association varies by race and sex in adults aged 65 to 79 years.

By
Olivia Anderson
January 15, 2026
3 min

MDSpire News

Objective:

To assess the association between dietary lycopene intake and the risk of severe periodontitis among older US adults, considering racial and sex differences.

Approach:

Key Findings:

48.7% of participants had some degree of periodontitis; 77.9% reported insufficient dietary lycopene intake.
Severe periodontitis was less common among individuals with sufficient lycopene intake (2.4%) compared to those with insufficient intake (6.5%).
Non-Hispanic Black participants were nearly three times more likely to have severe periodontitis than non-Hispanic White participants.
Women had a lower risk of severe periodontitis compared to men, particularly among non-Hispanic White participants.

Interpretation:

Adequate lycopene intake is associated with a significantly lower likelihood of severe periodontitis, highlighting dietary intake as a modifiable risk factor, especially among non-Hispanic White individuals.

Limitations:

Cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
NHANES data does not capture dental insurance coverage or routine preventive care.
Lycopene intake assessed without distinguishing food from supplements.
Small number of participants with severe periodontitis may affect subgroup analyses.

Conclusion:

Dietary lycopene intake may be an important factor for periodontal health in older adults, suggesting the need for race- and sex-specific dietary approaches in prevention strategies.