Omega-3 Compound Boosts Oral Health

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease initiated by bacteria, resulting in bone resorption, tooth loss, and systemic inflammation. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduce periodontitis in animals.  A.Z. Naqvi, from Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues enrolled 55 men and women afflicted with moderate periodontitis, in a thre-month long study in which each subject received either a DHA supplement (2,000 mg/day) or placebo.  All subjects also received low-dose (81 mg) aspirin daily.  Among the participants who received supplementation, DHA levels in red blood cell membranes rose by as much as 6.2%; no such change was observed in the placebo group.  As well, the DHA group displayed significant decreases in inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta).  The study authors report that: “DHA supplementation significantly improved periodontal outcomes in people with periodontitis.”