I Should Eat Cocoa! Eating Chocolate Halves Risk of Gum Disease, Study Claims

It’s a discovery likely to bring smiles to dentists’ waiting rooms across the country: eating chocolate could halve the risk of gum disease.

Researchers suspect that antioxidants in cocoa beans, particularly in dark chocolate, are the reason.

Cheese and unsalted peanuts are also associated with a lower risk, but filtered coffee and low-calorie beverages are associated with a higher risk of periodontitis.

“Our findings suggest that personalized diets have potential,” said the study from Chongqing Medical University in China.

Data from the UK Biobank, which contains information on the lifestyle and health of more than 500,000 people aged 40 to 69, was used.

Researchers suspect that antioxidants from cocoa beans, particularly in dark chocolate, could halve the risk of gum disease (Stock photo)

Cheese and unsalted peanuts are also associated with a lower risk, but filtered coffee and low-calorie beverages are linked to a higher chance of periodontitis (Stock photo)

Chocolate and cheese are associated with a 54 percent lower risk of gum disease, and unsalted peanuts with a 71 percent lower risk.

Rice is associated with a 58 percent lower risk, according to the study in the journal Frontiers In Genetics.

But drinking filtered coffee puts you at a 42 percent higher risk of gum disease, and low-calorie beverages are linked to a 57 percent higher risk. Additives in low-calorie beverages may be a contributing factor.

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that may have an anti-inflammatory effect on gum disease.