Study Explores Benefits of Fish Oil for Periodontal Patients

Can fish oil be used in the treatment of periodontitis? A recent qualitative study conducted at the University of South Australia in collaboration with the University of Adelaide, also in Australia, poured through evidence from eight studies on this topic to determine whether omega-3 fatty acids can improve tissue inflammation, which affects nearly half of the United States adult population. The findings, presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego in late April, revealed that periodontal status improved in patients who used a combination of fish oil and aspirin.

Because there are no dangers to consuming fish oil, Alison Coates, BSc, PhD, the study’s lead author, recommends further studies be conducted to evaluate the benefits of fish oil—both alone and in combination with aspirin. Doing so will help determine if fish oil has the ability to reduce periodontal symptoms. Furthermore, Coates says subsequent studies—including a clinical study in Australia already under way—will document patient compliance to treatment, dosage, and length of supplementation to establish how fish oil may be integrated into patient care.