Recent years have seen a major shift in how the role of dietary nitrates is perceived, following extensive debate. Traditionally, low-nitrate diets were recommended due to epidemiological data linking nitrate-rich foods with cancer risk. However, newer research indicates that dietary nitrate, once converted to nitrite by oral microbiota, serves as a vital alternative source for nitric oxide (NO) production—a key molecule involved in regulating blood pressure, defending against pathogenic bacteria, and supporting a balanced gut and oral microbiome. This concise narrative review summarizes clinical and in vitro evidence highlighting the dual nature of dietary nitrates in systemic and oral health, and discusses how strategically incorporating nitrate-rich foods could offer novel, targeted approaches for managing caries and periodontal disease.
