Blog

July 17

By now it seems almost everyone understands that the bacterial makeup of our gut plays a major role in determining our health. What we eat (and drink), how well we sleep, whether we exercise and how much stress we carry all impact the concentration and types of bacteria, and therefore the influence they exert.

A flood of research on the topic has emerged over the last 5 years. A Google Scholar search for "Gut Microbiome" yields 20,000 citations from this year, but that number grows more than tenfold if we start the search 5 years back. During the same time a smaller—though no less significant—swell of research (a little over half the size) has been forming related to the impact of another microbiome: the one inside our mouth. Since this time last year the bacterial make-up in our mouths has been linked with breast cancer, stroke risk, and, just this week, inflammation and heart valve risk. Interestingly, how we alter that microbiome has also been in the research news.

In addition to a trend away from harsh mouthwashes that kill both good and bad bacteria, as published in March 2025, one animal study showed that exercise had a significant inflammation-lowering effect in and around the mouth which was further improved with Omega 3 supplementation. Another study from last month showed that a healthy, primarily plant-based and low-calorie diet (Fast Mimicking Diet) used along with traditional treatment for gum disease, not only improved the local impact in the mouth but also lowered whole-body inflammation suggesting oral hygiene may start with what's on the menu. This week, in a counterintuitive twist it seems how we order our food matters and those who choose greens before carbs might unlock a new performance edge.

A few weeks back we reviewed this study which showed that dietary nitrate, a powerful nutrient abundant in plant sources, can powerfully impact cardiovascular efficiency (including lowering blood pressure in as little as two weeks). While this study used beets as the source, we know that other plants also pack a punch this way. However since the oral biome loses key bacteria as we age, the impact was greatest for older adults, as regularly drinking beetroot juice appeared to help rebuild the biome - what we feed grows. This week, however, another way to maximize this reaction surfaced and oddly enough, Hubba Bubba (yes, the bubble gum) seemed to be the catalyst.

In a London lab, researchers theorized that the same, not-so-wonderful, pH-lowering (acidity) effect that makes sugar enemy number 1 in cavity prevention might also actually prime the biome to absorb more dietary nitrate. It turns out their theory held. When subjects were randomly assigned to either the Hubba Bubba (sugar) group or the Wrigley's Extra (sugar-free) group, the sugar-containing gum group showed a lower mouth pH, increased nitrite levels in the mouth (+45%) and in the bloodstream (+25%), and a 2-3 point drop in blood pressure. The sugar-free gum group did not experience these effects. However, caveat emptor (buyer beware), given the study's very small size (14 people) and the potential harms of chewing sugary gum, the researchers quickly pointed out that this was only a proof of concept and not intended as advice. 

The senior author had this to say: "We are certainly not suggesting that people should start chewing sugary gum regularly. Frequent sugar consumption is harmful for dental health and is also detrimental to cardiometabolic health when consumed in excess. Instead, our findings provide a proof of concept that we may be able to improve how the body processes dietary nitrate, and future research should focus on developing tooth-friendly, metabolically sound approaches that achieve the same effect. Because dietary nitrate is already a recognized sports supplement, there is potential to optimize how athletes use it. If we can enhance nitrate conversion, we may be able to improve the physiological benefits that athletes obtain from nitrate-rich foods."

There's a lot more to learn about how we can optimize the beneficial health and performance promoting effects of food. A healthy oral biome is key—it loves leafy greens and other Summer garden treats. In the meantime we'll be keeping an eye out for more from this research team.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.