| Abstract [eng] |
Relevance of the problem and aim of the study. With the increasing trend of people adhering to plant-based diets in Lithuania and worldwide, dental practice is increasingly encountering patients exhibiting oral conditions typical of this dietary approach. The aim of the research is to assess the oral health status of individuals adhering to plant-based and omnivorous diets, as well as potential causative factors for diseases. Objectives. To determine the dental and periodontal issues encountered by representatives of plant-based and omnivorous diets. To establish whether the duration of adherence to dietary regimens influences the severity of oral disease manifestation. To evaluate the impact of different groups' personal oral hygiene skills and dietary and lifestyle habits on oral health. Materials and Methods. The search for participants in the study group was conducted within "Facebook" groups dedicated to plant-based diets. The control group was selected based on the average age and gender of the study group. During the study, participants who signed consent forms and completed questionnaires underwent a clinical examination, evaluating dental and periodontal conditions and counting the number of plaque-covered surfaces. The study included 31 plant-based and 31 omnivorous individuals. The data obtained was analyzed using Microsoft Excel for Mac Version 16.83 and IBM SPSS Statistics Version 22.0.2.0 software. To assess the statistical significance of the results, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Chi-square test, bivariante correlation based on the Spearman correlation coefficient, and independent samples t-test were used. Results. A total of 62 individuals participated in the study: 19 vegans, 7 vegetarians, 5 pescatarians and 31 omnivores. The average age in the plant-based diet group was 28.68 (SD = 9.275) years, while in the control group, it was 27.84 (SD = 9.356) years. 90.3% of respondents chose a plant-based diet for ethical reasons, 64.5% for environmental reasons, 45.2% for health reasons, 16.1% indicated other reasons, and 6.5% of participants cited weight control as one of the reasons. Omnivorous participants had a statistically significantly higher DMFT index (p = 0.018) compared to vegans. Representatives of plant-based diets statistically significantly more often encountered non-caries lesions (p = 0.029). Participants adhering to a plant-based diet statistically significantly more often used dietary supplements such as iron preparations (p = 0.004), vitamin C (p = 0.020), and calcium (p = 0.020), while omnivorous participants more often did not use any dietary supplements (p = 0.008). A statistically significant, yet weak positive correlation was found between the consumption of proteins and amino acids and higher periodontal tissue inflammation (p = 0.018) in the plant-based group. Participants adhering to a plant-based diet statistically significantly more often consumed fruits and vegetables (p < 0.001) and rated their diet's completeness better (p = 0.002). Omnivorous participants statistically significantly more often flossed (p = 0.045). The number of smokers in the vegan group was 3.5 times lower than in the omnivore group (9.7% and 35.5%, respectively). Conclusions. Representatives of plant-based diets exhibit a lower DMFT index and a higher frequency of non-carious lesions, but the longer duration of dietary adherence did not influence a higher prevalence of dental and periodontal diseases. A correlation was observed between the oral tissue condition characteristic of plant-based diets and a healthier lifestyle (more frequent consumption of supplements, fruits, vegetables, and less frequent smoking). |
