Fasting-Mimicking Diet and Gum Health: What Does Emerging Evidence Say?

Periodontal disease is a complex, multifactorial condition that is associated with bacterial plaque and can lead to chronic inflammation. Periodontitis has also been associated with systemic inflammation and various systemic health conditions, although the strength and nature of these associations vary. 

Conventional periodontal therapy aims to control the bacterial plaque by professional cleaning and providing oral hygiene support, which often tends to focus only on the periodontal infection and inflammation in the oral cavity, but for effective periodontal treatment, systemic inflammation should also be addressed.

Over the years, researchers have been trying to develop different therapeutic approaches that can address both systemic and oral implications of periodontal disease.

What Is a Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD)?

A fasting-mimicking diet is a short-term, low-calorie and low-protein, plant-based diet-rich diet developed by Dr. Valter Longo, consisting of a 4-7 day programme where the diet is designed to imitate some of the effects of fasting while providing a limited amount of calories and nutrients.

The effects of FMD on systemic health are as follows:

Effects of Fasting-Mimicking Diets on Cellular Processes

A unique characteristic of a fasting-mimicking diet is that it may influence the process of autophagy (a cellular recycling process where unwanted cellular parts are removed and recycled; it is also a quality control for your cells). ² This process has been studied for its potential role in cellular maintenance and healthy ageing. Dietary restriction may help to reduce oxidative damage, promote optimal energy metabolism, and enhance cellular protection. 

Effect Of Fasting-Mimicking Diet On Inflammation

Clinical research has shown that for individuals following a fasting-mimicking diet as an adjunct to professional care, there was a significant reduction in inflammatory biomarkers like C- reactive protein (a general indicator of inflammation) in the blood and gum tissue samples¹.

Effect on Biologic Age

A clinical trial showed that the median biological age of participants was reduced by up to 2.5 years when they completed a 3- month cycle of a 5-day fasting-mimicking diet.³ This reduction in biological age can be linked to improvements in metabolic health, lower liver fat, and reduced insulin resistance. Notably, biological age is an algorithmic estimate of cellular health, not a reversal of chronological time.

Effect on Systemic Disease

The fasting- mimicking diet has been studied for its potential effects on metabolic health, including blood glucose, blood pressure, body weight, insulin resistance, and liver fat. The results showed that this diet can modulate metabolic health by reducing blood glucose levels, promoting cellular regeneration, lowering blood pressure, and lowering body mass index³. However, these effects do not mean that FMD can “reset” metabolism or treat systemic disease, and further research is needed to establish its long-term clinical benefits and risks.

See also: Routine Dental Care: Expert Tips for Healthy Teeth and Gums at Every Age

Fasting-Mimicking Diet vs Intermittent Fasting: What Is the Difference?

Intermittent Fasting

• In intermittent fasting, there is no specific food restriction; rather, its main focus is on the time of consumption. 

• It is usually followed on a daily or weekly basis in a cycling pattern of eating and fasting (eg. 8 hours of eating and 16-hours of fasting daily)

Fasting-Mimicking Diet

• In a fasting-mimicking diet, the main focus is on calorie consumption.

•  It is a short-term diet plan usually lasting 5-consecutive days to trick the body into a fasting like state without actually starving

What Did the New Study Find About Fasting-Mimicking Diets and Gum Disease?

Currently available evidence shows that a fasting- mimicking diet helps reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and helps with cellular recycling. ^1,2 This reduction in inflammatory markers was also observed in gum tissues. Researchers have hence suggested incorporating dietary restrictions as an adjuvant to standard non-surgical periodontal therapy to reduce the inflammatory load. ^1,4

See also: Could Gum Disease Be Stealing Your Memory? The Hidden Oral Health –Alzheimer’s Connection

Recently, multiple research studies and reviews have discovered the positive effect of intermittent fasting in reducing systemic and periodontal inflammation, even though this intervention did not cause any significant change in subgingival microbiota.

In 27 patients who completed 6-month follow-up, feasibility criteria were satisfactory. Temporal changes were noticed in C-reactive protein and selected inflammatory biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid, such as MMP-8, CRP, IL-6, IL-1α, and IL-1β were noted.¹

Therapeutic Potential and Future Research

As the recent pilot study ¹ shows the feasibility of using multiple cycles of fasting mimicking diet as an adjunct treatment for patients with periodontitis, the tested intervention has shown an overall reduction in inflammatory response, both local and systemic. Since this was a pilot study done in a smaller group, its feasibility has to be tested with a larger sample size across different populations.

If the study results with a larger sample size turn out to be positive, a new, more inclusive,  non-invasive and safer approach can be devised to treat periodontal disease, where both its oral and systemic implications are addressed.

Reference

1. Mainas, G., E. Figuero, M. A. Basilio, et al. 2026. “ A Fasting-Mimicking Diet Affects the Inflammatory Response Following Periodontal Treatment: A Multi-centre Feasibility Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial.” Journal of Clinical Periodontology 53, no. 8: 1254–1264. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpe.70139

2. Espinoza SE, Park S, Connolly G, Qi W, Zhang N, Semwal M, Li Y, Lauzon M, Salmon AB, Hsu W, Wei M, Musi N. Effect of fasting-mimicking diet on markers of autophagy and metabolic health in human subjects. Geroscience. 2025 Dec 11. doi: 10.1007/s11357-025-02035-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41372565. 

3. Brandhorst, S., Levine, M.E., Wei, M. et al. Fasting-mimicking diet causes hepatic and blood markers changes indicating reduced biological age and disease risk. Nat Commun 15, 1309 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45260-9 

4. Mainas, G., Santamaria, P., Ide, M. et al. Could dietary restrictions affect periodontal disease? A systematic review. Clin Oral Invest 27, 4107–4116 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-023-05052-9 

5. Lira-Junior R, Aogáin MM, Crncalo E, et al. Effects of intermittent fasting on periodontal inflammation and subgingival microbiota. J Periodontol. 2024; 95: 640–649. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38655661/ 

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