Periodontitis: Omega-3s protect gums and reduce risk by 20%
Periodontitis (or periodontitis) can be thwarted by a diet of Omega-3s. Research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association has shown that omega-3 fatty acids protect gum health by counteracting the onset of this infection.The research was conducted at Harvard Medical School in Boston, United States.
According to the authors, intake of moderate amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Omega-3 contained in fatty fish, reduces the frequency of the disorder by 20 percent.
The researchers explained that a diet-based periodontitis therapy would be a safer and cheaper alternative to current treatments.
Periodontitis therapy: omega-3 as an effective alternative
Periodontitis is an inflammation caused by the growth of bacteria between the teeth and gums. It is treated with local application of antibiotics combined with mechanical cleaning.
The researchers point out that the data collected suggest that a dose of DHA equal to that recommended by the American Heart Association may be just as satisfactory (if not more potent) in combating periodontitis.
According to the authors, the benefits of Omega-3s in treating chronic inflammation suggest their use in preventing other inflammatory diseases.
DHA, the strongest weapon against periodontitis
The research involved the analysis of data concerning more than 9,000 adult individuals who, between 1999 and 2004, participated in a U.S. study: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Harvard Medical School scholars found in those who introduced higher amounts of DHA in their diets a 20 percent lower incidence of inflammation.
In the case of EPA, the reduction was less, but still significant.
A confirmed effectiveness
The usefulness of Omega-3s in the treatment of periodontitis is also supported by data previously obtained by researchers at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, US.
According to this research, published by Molecular Oral Biology, rather low doses of EPA, DHA and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid, the precursor to Omega-3) are enough to inhibit the growth of pathogens that proliferate in the oral cavity.
Among the microorganisms on which Omega-3s are active:
- Streptococcus mutans
- Candida albicans
- Porphyromonas ginigivalis
Omega-3, the answer to a need
Although traditional therapies aim to eliminate the bacterial infection in its early stages, experts have been focusing for some time on finding solutions that act by targeting the response to the infection.
In fact, the body's reaction to the presence of bacteria appears to play an important role in the evolution of periodontitis, which can even lead to the loss of teeth and surrounding bone tissue.
Therefore, the results obtained by Harvard researchers have been well received by the scientific community.
Elizabeth Krall Kaye, a professor at Boston University (Boston, United States), confirmed the validity of the data derived from this study.
According to the expert, the results are made even more interesting by the fact that modest amounts of DHA and EPA are sufficient to significantly reduce risks to gums.
This, Kaye explains, suggests that it may be possible to protect gums simply through dietary Omega-3 intake.
Source
1. Naqvi AZ, Buettner C, Phillips RS, Davis RB, Mukamal KJ, "n-3 fatty acids and periodontitis in US adults," J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Nov;110(11):1669-75
2. Huang CB, Ebersole JL, "A novel bioactivity of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their ester derivatives," Mol Oral Microbiol. 2010 Feb;25(1):75-80
3. Kaye EK, "n-3 fatty acid intake and periodontal disease," J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Nov;110(11):1650-2
