Cardiometabolic diseases share many modifiable risk factors. However, periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gums, is a risk factor that is rarely publicized. This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of oral hygiene practices on the risk, incidence, and/or mortality rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Searches were conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and CINHAL. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and observational studies were included. Eligible studies reported on associations of toothbrushing, interdental cleaning, mouthwash, or toothpaste use, either alone or in combination with CVD, CKD, and/or T2DM outcomes in adults ≥ 18 years. Fifty-five studies were included. Cochrane’s risk of bias tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale were used for quality assessment. Data synthesis is narratively presented. Toothbrushing and interdental cleaning were associated with lower risk of developing T2DM or hypertension HR 0.54 [p < 0.001] and a lower mortality risk in those with CVD HR = 0.25 [p = 0.03]. Mouthwash use reportedly increased the risk of developing hypertension and diabetes by 85% and 55%, respectively. This review highlights how simple oral hygiene practices can reduce cardiometabolic risk. Non-dental clinicians could integrate the findings into chronic disease health promotion.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory disease, that leads to tooth loss and is associated with other systemic diseases. The role of dietary fibre in the prevention and management of periodontal diseases is not well understood. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess how an intake of dietary fibre affects periodontal diseases in humans and any concomitant effects on systemic inflammation. Methodology: Human interventional studies investigating the effects of oral fibre intake on various clinical parameters of periodontal diseases were included. Search strategy with MeSH and free-text search terms was performed on the following database: CINAHL Complete, EMBASE, MEDLINE, SciVerse Scopus^®, and Web of Science Core Collection on 21 October 2021 and updated on 19 February 2023 to identify relevant studies. Articles were filtered using the Covidence© web-based platform software. Data were pooled using random effects meta-analysis. Results: From all databases, a total of 19,971 studies were obtained. Upon title and abstract screening, 101 studies were included for full-text screening. Upon full-text screening, six studies were included for analysis. Of these, five were randomised controlled trials, and one was a sequential feeding trial involving fibre-rich daily diet for a 4–8 weeks period. Fibre-rich dietary intervention significantly reduced Clinical Attachment Loss/Level by 0.48 mm/tooth (95% CI, −0.63 to −0.33, p < 0.001), Bleeding On Probing by 27.57% sites/tooth (95% CI −50.40 to −4.74, p = 0.02), Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area by 173.88 mm² (95% CI −288.06 to −59.69, p = 0.003), Plaque Index by 0.02 (95% CI −0.04 to −0.00, p = 0.04), and Gingival Index by 0.41 (95% −0.67 to −0.16, p= 0.002). A non-significant reduction was observed for Probing Depth (−0.17 mm/tooth; 95% CI, −0.37 to 0.02, p = 0.09). Conclusions: Fibre-rich dietary interventions are associated with a reduction of clinical and particularly inflammatory markers of periodontal diseases. This shows a promising effect of dietary fibre as an intervention for inflammatory conditions like periodontal diseases.