Food for Thought: The Relationship Between Oral Health and Nutrition
Dietary Trends

Two dietary approaches that provide scientific data to back their claims are both the Mediterranean and DASH diet plans. The traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, wine in moderation, fish. The Mediterranean diet is low in meat and dairy products.² The acronym DASH, stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet encourages a reduction of sodium and to consume a variety of foods rich in nutrients that help lower blood pressure, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Both diets emphasize vegetables, fruits and low-fat dairy foods and moderate amounts of whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts.⁹