Periodontal inflammation is multifactorial in origin and is considered to be one of the most important global oral health burdens. The bacterial biofilm is the primary etiologic agent for periodontal disease. The biofilm that accumulates on tooth surfaces can penetrate deep in to the connective tissue and initiates host responses. The immune response to microbial insult depend on various factors such as the patient’s immunity, microbial colonization and presence of systemic diseases. The diet plays a significant role in immune response both directly and indirectly which can affect the periodontium. The micro and macro nutrients affect the inflammatory process and anti-oxidant and oxidant balance. Vegetarians consume a higher amount of antioxidants in form of fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants like vitamin C has a central role in defending from free radicals, improve chemotaxis and phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and improve lymphocyte responsiveness.

   Different types of diet have been defined and the primary diet types include omnivorous, carnivorous, pollotarian, pescetarian, vegetarian, and vegan. The definitions of the different eaters are as follows: Omnivores is a person who eats all types of food; A carnivore is a person who predominantly eats red meat, which includes: pork, beef, veal and lamb; A pollotarian is a person who primarily eats poultry instead of red meat; A pescetarian is a person who primarily eats fish and seafood, as well as vegetables and other non-animal meat foods; A vegetarian is a person who does not eat any type of meat and eats a plant-based diet instead; A vegan is a person who does not eat any animal products or by-products and strictly adheres to a plant-based diet.

  Very few studies had conducted in comparing  periodontal health and association with diet. Americans who ate a diet rich in meat and fried foods had increased risk for periodontitis in a secondary analysis of NHANES III data, which may have been attributed to the greater lipid deposition and higher levels of systemic circulatory inflammatory molecules. Low meat and fat diets may be associated with decreased production of reactive oxygen species, reduced oxidative damage of mitochondrial DNA, lower cytokine production ,and improved metabolic parameters such as blood glucose and insulin sensitivity, which maybe protective against periodontitis. In many cases vegetarian diets are helpful in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases like hypertension, diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular diseases and even gall stone and rheumatoid arthritis.

In 2021, Pew Research Center released the results of a survey throughout India which included questions on dietary preferences. According to this study, around 39% of the overall Indian population identifies as vegetarian.Since the majority of the population are consumers of diet that cannot be described as vegetarian, it is imperative that the effect of the different types of diet as well as dietary components on periodontium is identified and appropriate diet counselling may be performed.