The Relationship Between Oral Pain And Dietary Inflammatory Potential

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between oral pain and dietary inflammatory potential using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We calculated DII scores from 24-hour dietary recalls and assessed oral pain status was via survey. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, race, education level, income, BMI, smoking, drinking, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease to investigate the association between oral pain and dietary inflammatory index (DII). Subgroup analyses were performed to explore which confounding factor modified the association between oral pain and DII. A total of 23,802 participants aged ≥18 years were included. Multivariable logistic regression models revealed a significant positive association between higher DII scores (pro-inflammatory diets) and increased prevalence of oral pain (OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06, p=0.020). The highest DII quintile was associated with a 19% increase in the risk of oral pain compared with the lowest DII quintile. Subgroup analyses revealed the strongest associations among females, non-smokers, and individuals without hypertension, diabetes, or coronary heart disease. These findings suggest that pro-inflammatory dietary patterns may exacerbate oral pain, potentially mediated through systemic inflammation or local mucosal irritation. The study highlights the role of diet modification as a preventive strategy for oral discomfort, particularly in high-risk populations. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, which precludes causal inference, and self-reported dietary data. Further longitudinal studies are warranted to explore mechanistic pathways and clinical implications.