A King's College London study published on 15 September 2025 in the Journal of Periodontology found that UK patients who followed a Mediterranean-style diet tended to have less severe gum disease and lower levels of circulating inflammatory markers. The study evaluated 200 hospital patients enrolled in the King's College London Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Biobank through dental exams, blood samples, and dietary questionnaires. Patients who consumed red meat frequently and did not follow a Mediterranean-style diet showed higher levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), both markers of systemic inflammation. Those whose diets included more legumes, vegetables, fruits, and olive oil showed lower levels of these markers. The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot establish causation, and the authors call for further research to develop personalised dietary approaches for managing periodontal health. For periodontists, the findings suggest that dietary habits are worth considering alongside conventional clinical factors when assessing and planning treatment for periodontitis.