Detailed results of two surveys in which nearly 65 percent of periodontists report that they believe nutrition plays a major role in the status of their patients' periodontal health, and 57 percent of consumers said they have tried improving their diet to help improve periodontal health...
Results of AAP Surveys on Nutrition and Periodontal Health
Nutrition plays a major role in periodontal health.
CHICAGO – September 14, 2001 – 135 periodontists and 477 consumers responded to online surveys conducted by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). Following is a breakdown of their answers to the survey questions.
Results of Periodontist Survey
- Do you think nutrition plays a major role in the
status of your patients' periodontal health?
| 87 | respondents | 64.93% | -- | (1) | Yes |
| 35 | respondents | 26.12% | -- | (2) | No |
| 12 | respondents | 8.96% | -- | (3) | Unsure |
- Do you or someone on your staff talk to
patients on a regular basis about the
role of good nutrition in maintaining good oral health?
| 69 | respondents | 53.49% | -- | (1) | Yes |
| 60 | respondents | 46.51% | -- | (2) | No |
- Do you do a nutritional analysis for
your patients?
| 22 | respondents | 17.19% | -- | (1) | Yes |
| 106 | respondents | 82.81% | -- | (2) | No |
- Do you ever recommend nutritional supplements to patients who are not
getting adequate nutrition from their
diets?
| 77 | respondents | 59.69% | -- | (1) | Yes |
| 52 | respondents | 40.31% | -- | (2) | No |
- Where do you get your information on
nutrition and supplements as they relate
to oral health? (Please check all that apply.)
| 85 | respondents | 69.67% | -- | (1) | Dental journals |
| 22 | respondents | 18.03% | -- | (2) | NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements
|
| 25 | respondents | 20.49% | -- | (3) | American Dietetic Association |
| 67 | respondents | 54.92% | -- | (4) | Personal experience |
| 26 | respondents | 21.31% | -- | (5) | Other |
- Have you ever recommended any of the
following to patients to improve oral
health? (Please check all that apply.)
| 6 | respondents | 6.52% | -- | (1) | Green tea
|
| 3 | respondents | 3.26% | -- | (2) | Black tea |
| 63 | respondents | 68.48% | -- | (3) | Multivitamin |
| 55 | respondents | 59.78% | -- | (4) | Calcium supplements |
| 0 | respondents | 0.00% | -- | (5) | Wasabi |
| 10 | respondents | 10.87% | -- | (6) | Coenzyme Q10 |
| 3 | respondents | 3.26% | -- | (7) | Cranberries |
| 34 | respondents | 36.96% | -- | (8) | Vitamin E |
| 68 | respondents | 73.91% | -- | (9) | Vitamin C |
| 11 | respondents | 11.96% | -- | (10) | Other |
- What do you think is the one food item
that should be most avoided if people
want good periodontal health?
| 4 | respondents | 3.96% | -- | (1) | Chocolate |
| 31 | respondents | 30.69% | -- | (2) | Popcorn |
| 2 | respondents | 1.98% | -- | (3) | Mints |
| 20 | respondents | 19.80% | -- | (4) | Soda |
| 11 | respondents | 10.89% | -- | (5) | Hard candy
|
| 19 | respondents | 18.81% | -- | (6) | Taffy and other sticky candies |
| 14 | respondents | 13.86% | -- | (7) | Other |
Results of Consumer Survey
- Do you think nutrition plays a major
role in periodontal health?
| 414 | respondents | 86.97% | -- | (1) | Yes |
| 62 | respondents | 13.03% | -- | (2) | No |
- Have you tried improving your diet
to help improve your periodontal health?
| 268 | respondents | 56.78% | -- | (1) | Yes |
| 204 | respondents | 43.22% | -- | (2) | No |
About the AAP
The
American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is is an 8,000-member professional organization for periodontists - specialists in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontists are also dentistry’s experts in the treatment of oral inflammation and receive three additional years of specialized training following dental school. Periodontics is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.
Find out if you are at risk for periodontal diseases by taking the Academy’s risk assessment test. Referral to a periodontist in your area is available by calling 800-FLOSS-EM or visiting the AAP's website at www.perio.org.
For more information, contact the AAP Public Affairs Department at meg@perio.org or 312/573-3242.
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