Periodontitis, inflammation of the tissue
surrounding the teeth, affects more than half of adults and is linked to an
increased risk of stroke and other heart problems. To evaluate whether fish oil
supplementation could be an adjunct therapy for periodontitis, Dr. Alison
Coates from the University of South Australia and colleagues from the School of
Dentistry at University of Adelaide in Australia reviewed evidence from eight unique
studies that involved humans.
Their review of these studies showed that
improvements in clinical measures were common in all studies, but were
scientifically significant in two that used a combination of fish oil and
aspirin. Although this is not conclusive evidence, intake of fish oil is
recommended for health benefits beyond the teeth.
"I would recommend that people ensure
they have a sufficient intake of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in their diet
for general health," said Coates. "In Australia, these types of fatty
acids are considered to be essential with ~500 mg recommended as the suggested
dietary target. This equates to approximately 2 fatty fish meals per
week."
There are no serious dangers to consuming
fish oil. At high levels of fish oil above the GRAS limit, people may
experience a delayed clotting time and at very high doses potential gastric
upset. If people are taking blood thinning medication, then they should consult
with a doctor.
The group reports that the evidence for fish
oil being effective in reducing periodontal symptoms is building but there is a
need for more well designed studies that evaluate the supplement both alone and
in combination with aspirin to be able to tease out whether fish oil by itself
is effective. It is important that compliance to treatment is considered and
that the dose and length of supplementation is appropriate. A clinical trial is
underway in Australia that is investigating the effects of fish oil as adjunct
therapy for periodontitis.
Results from this study were presented April
24, 2012 at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, CA.
Courtesy agrihunt.com
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