There’s something rather special about the Mediterranean diet: already associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, early death, poor mental health, and more besides, a new study links the diet to better gum health too.

The study, carried out by researchers from King’s College London and the University of Catania in Italy, involved 195 participants with an average age of 49, who were given a health check-up and quizzed on their dietary habits.

Those participants who stuck more closely to the plant-rich Mediterranean diet were less likely to have gum disease, the data showed – especially those who didn’t eat much red meat.