Introduction: Telomeres are nucleotide sequences found at the end of chromosomes, and their shortening is associated with chronological and biological ageing, oxidative stress and malnutrition. Shorter telomeres have been shown to be associated with periodontitis. Dietary nutrients are also influential factors in the aetiology and progression of periodontitis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. We tested the hypothesis that blood serum levels of folate, vitamin D, vitamin E, cis-β-carotene and/or β-cryptoxanthin are associated with telomere lengths and periodontitis and that these relationships are modified by factors that also affect periodontitis (e.g., age, sex, smoking, race/ethnicity).
Methods: Laboratory and demographic data collected by the NHANES 1999-2002 survey of 10,793 study participants were analysed. The data included age (binned every 10 years starting at age 30), race/ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic), sex (male, female), periodontitis (none/mild, moderate/severe), vitamin levels (low, medium, high), telomere lengths (base pairs) and smoking (yes, no). Statistical analyses were performed with ANOVA tests.
Results: Periodontitis was significantly associated with vitamin D, vitamin E and cis-β-carotene. Telomere length was significantly associated with vitamin E and cis-β-carotene. There were statistically significant interactions between the following vitamins and covariates on telomere length: folate and sex, vitamin D and periodontitis, vitamin D and race/ethnicity and vitamin E and sex.
Conclusions: Certain blood nutrients may disrupt biological ageing, with periodontitis as a co-morbidity. Some of these relationships are modified by demographic variables such as sex and race/ethnicity.
Keywords: age; dietary vitamins; inflammation; periodontal disease; senescence.
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