Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Population

It is expected that papers in this review will include the following:

Subjects with gingivitis/gingival inflammation - gingival erythema, oedema, ≥10% gingival bleeding

AND/OR

Periodontitis - pocket probing depths ≥4mm, evidence of clinical attachment loss, bleeding on probing ≥10%

It is expected that papers in this review will exclude the following:

Subjects with systemic disease that may affect the periodontium eg diabetes

Pregnancy/lactating mothers

Subjects with a carbohydrate or insulin related disease eg diabetes

Medications that may affect the periodontium (calcium channel blockers, cyclosporine, phenytoin)

Medications that might influence bleeding and /or gingival inflammation including non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants and cortisone

Subjects who have undergone treatment of periodontitis within the preceding 12 months

Smokers or previously smoked within the last 10 years

Intake of any other nutrient supplements

Subjects regularly exceeding recommended daily limits for alcohol ingestion

Intervention/s

Diet conditions with a main criterion of a maximum processed carbohydrate intake of 25%/130g TDE

OR

Dietary intake consisting solely of the limited carbohydrate regimes akin to those consumed in the stone age or Palaeolithic time periods.

Papers evaluating the effect of micronutrients on periodontal health

Evaluating the effects of nutrients on dental caries

Evaluating the effects of low-carbohydrate diet/nutrition of plaque bacteria

Comparator/s

Normal or Western diet high in carbohydrates

Comparators of different

population groups or interventions

Outcome/s

Improved periodontal clinical parameters:

Reduced gingival inflammation (GI)

Reduced bleeding on probing (BoP)

Reduced pocket probing depth (PPD)

Reduced plaque index (PI)

Periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA)

Dental caries only (dmf-t/DMF-t)

Serological parameters only

Microbiota only