Gum disease blocks beetroot juice's blood pressure help
The blood pressure lowering effect of beetroot juice is impaired in periodontitis and recovered after periodontal treatment
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Periodontitis patients had higher salivary nitrate levels after beetroot juice (893 mg/L vs 616 mg/L in healthy people)
This contradicts expectations—more nitrate in saliva suggests the bacteria aren't converting it properly, not that they're absorbing more nitrate.
Practical Takeaways
Get regular dental cleanings to improve your body's ability to process nitrate-rich foods for blood pressure control
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Periodontitis patients had higher salivary nitrate levels after beetroot juice (893 mg/L vs 616 mg/L in healthy people)
This contradicts expectations—more nitrate in saliva suggests the bacteria aren't converting it properly, not that they're absorbing more nitrate.
Practical Takeaways
Get regular dental cleanings to improve your body's ability to process nitrate-rich foods for blood pressure control
Publication
Journal
NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes
Year
2025
Authors
Nydia Y Sanchez-Orozco, B. Rosier, Alondra Ruiz-Gutierrez, Fabiola Marquez-Sandoval, Alejandro Artacho, Lucrecia Carrera-Quintanar, A. Mira
Related Content
Claims (10)
Bacteria in the mouth help regulate blood pressure by converting nitrate to nitrite, which is part of the body's natural blood pressure control system.
People with gum disease don't get the same blood pressure-lowering effect from beetroot juice as healthy people do.
Treating gum disease helps people with gum problems get the blood pressure-lowering benefits from beetroot juice.
People with gum disease have more nitrate left in their saliva after drinking beetroot juice, meaning their mouth bacteria aren't converting it as well as healthy people's bacteria.
People with gum disease have fewer mouth bacteria that help convert nitrate to nitrite compared to people with healthy gums.