Professor Luigi Nibali is an award-winning specialist periodontist who has been keeping gums healthy and saving teeth for more than 15 years. He is a Professor of Periodontology at King’s College London (Guy’s Hospital) and a leading clinician–scientist in gum disease and oral inflammation.
Trained in dentistry in Italy, Luigi Nibali completed an MSc and PhD at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, where his research focused on the genetic and inflammatory drivers of aggressive periodontitis. His work spans clinical periodontology, systemic inflammation, and the links between oral health and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegeneration.
In this episode, we break down what periodontitis actually is, why it often develops silently, and why bleeding gums are an early warning sign that shouldn’t be ignored. We explore how chronic oral inflammation can contribute to whole-body inflammation, including its relationship with markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP).
We then discuss Luigi’s recent feasibility study using a fasting-mimicking diet alongside standard periodontal treatment — what the protocol involved, what they observed, and why diet may help regulate inflammation without adding more medication.
This conversation connects oral health, diet, inflammation, and long-term disease risk, with practical insights on prevention and why gum health remains one of the most overlooked pillars of overall health.
Highlights
• Bleeding gums aren’t normal — they signal chronic inflammation
• Periodontitis often progresses silently for years
• Oral inflammation can increase systemic inflammatory burden (CRP)
• Diet quality may influence gum disease severity
• Fasting-mimicking diets show early promise as an adjunct therapy
