GSDM's Dr. Elizabeth Krall Kaye Comments on Possible Dietary Treatment for Periodontal Disease
In a commentary published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association November 2010 Issue, Professor Dr. Elizabeth Krall Kaye weighs in on the findings of researchers from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, which were also published in the same issue. The researchers found that n-3 fatty acid intake is inversely associated with periodontitis.
To come to this conclusion, the researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The survey, which involved data collected from more than 9,000 adults during dental examinations between 1999 and 2004, showed an 8.2 percent prevalence of periodontitis in the study sample. When they studied the consumption of n-3 fatty acids, the data also showed a 20 percent reduction in periodontitis in those subjects who consumed the highest amounts of n-3 fatty acids, specifically dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)—to a smaller extent. These fatty acids can be found in foods such as salmon, peanut butter, margarine, whole grain wheat, and bananas.
Dr. Kaye noted that there were three noteworthy results of the Harvard study.
“The most important conclusion is that it appears even modest amounts of omega-3 fatty acid intake may be good for gums,” Dr. Kaye said. “These are amounts that people can get from dietary sources, without using supplements.”
The second significant finding was that the intake of moderate levels of n-3 fatty acids provided the same benefit as high levels, indicating that the benefits remain the same after a certain threshold. Third, the results did not differ when dietary plus supplemental intakes were reviewed.
These findings suggest a promising dietary alternative to the expensive and more invasive current methods for treatment of periodontitis. Dr. Kaye noted, “more studies are needed, especially more prospective studies that follow patients over time and track changes in periodontal disease according to their omega fatty acid intake level.”