Fatty Fish, Nuts May Prevent Gum Disease
Oct. 26, 2010 -- A new study suggests eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as salmon and nuts, may help prevent gum disease or periodontitis.
Periodontitis is a common type of gum disease in which the gum tissue separates from the teeth and allows bacteria to build up. If untreated, the condition can lead to bone and tooth loss.
Researchers found that people whose diets were rich in PUFAs were as much as 30% less likely to have gum disease than those who ate little or none of this type of fat.
“We found that n-3 fatty acid intake, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are inversely associated with periodontitis in the U.S. population,” says researcher Asghar Z. Naqvi, MPH, MNS, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, in a news release.
"A dietary therapy, if effective, might be a less expensive and safer method for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis," says Naqvi. “To date, the treatment of periodontitis has primarily involved mechanical cleaning and local antibiotic application."
Researchers say polyunsaturated fats have already been shown to have beneficial effects on other types of inflammatory conditions, such as heart disease, and they may also play a role in fighting the inflammation that causes gum disease.
"Given the evidence indicating a role for n-3 fatty acids in other chronic inflammatory conditions, it is possible that treating periodontitis with n-3 fatty acids could have the added benefit of preventing other chronic diseases associated with inflammation, including stroke as well,” says Naqvi.
Slideshow: Top Problems in Your Mouth
Periodontitis is a common type of gum disease in which the gum tissue separates from the teeth and allows bacteria to build up. If untreated, the condition can lead to bone and tooth loss.
Researchers found that people whose diets were rich in PUFAs were as much as 30% less likely to have gum disease than those who ate little or none of this type of fat.
“We found that n-3 fatty acid intake, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are inversely associated with periodontitis in the U.S. population,” says researcher Asghar Z. Naqvi, MPH, MNS, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, in a news release.
"A dietary therapy, if effective, might be a less expensive and safer method for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis," says Naqvi. “To date, the treatment of periodontitis has primarily involved mechanical cleaning and local antibiotic application."
Researchers say polyunsaturated fats have already been shown to have beneficial effects on other types of inflammatory conditions, such as heart disease, and they may also play a role in fighting the inflammation that causes gum disease.
"Given the evidence indicating a role for n-3 fatty acids in other chronic inflammatory conditions, it is possible that treating periodontitis with n-3 fatty acids could have the added benefit of preventing other chronic diseases associated with inflammation, including stroke as well,” says Naqvi.
Slideshow: Top Problems in Your Mouth
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