Health has omega-3 in its mouth
More omega 3 to stay healthy!
This really seems to be the phrase that best sums up the results of research on the effects of consuming these fatty acids on the health of teeth and gums.
In fact, in addition to protecting the heart, arteries, and nervous system, these nutrients also have other important positive effects on health, including benefits exerted in the oral cavity. Let's see what they are.
Anti-inflammatory action for a healthier mouth...
In a study published in 2010 in the journal Nutrition*, a group of Japanese researchers showed that the incidence of periodontitis in those with low levels of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is 1.5 times higher than that found in those with high amounts of this Omega 3.
According to the authors of the research, this protective effect would be based on the anti-inflammatory action exerted by these nutrients.
The authors of the study did not stop at these results and the following year published the results of a broader analysis in which the focus was placed on the association between the incidence of periodontitis and the ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids consumed in the diet.
It is known, in fact, that these two types of nutrients play opposite roles in inflammation: while the former promote the synthesis of pro-inflammatory molecules, Omega-3s are precursors of molecules with anti-inflammatory activity.
According to what was reported in the pages of Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Essential Fatty Acids**, the new analysis showed that a ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 skewed in favor of the former is associated with a higher frequency of periodontitis problems.
These results confirm that high levels of Omega-3 protect against this gum disease.
…and antibacterial effectiveness for a cleaner mouth
Experts from the Oral Health Research Center at the College of Dentistry, University of Kentucky (Lexington, United States) have, for the first time, demonstrated that Omega-3s possess antibacterial properties.
In a study published in Molecular Oral Microbiology\*\*\*, researchers tested the ability to kill bacteria not only of DHA but also of two other dietary Omega-3s, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid).
The analysis was also extended to specific chemical forms of these three nutrients, the ethyl esters, which in many cases are the form in which Omega-3s are taken.
Both EPA, DHA and ALA and their esters showed strong antibacterial activity against various microorganisms harmful to oral health.
These include Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis.
Even more interesting is the fact that this antibacterial action is effective already at relatively low doses of Omega-3s or their derived esters.
A new path for health-friendly fats
Research, in short, all seems to lead to the same conclusion: teeth and gums can also benefit from the properties of Omega-3s.
These nutrients thus add to the list of natural molecules that keep the mouth healthy, from calcium to vitamins B12, C and D, from magnesium to the resveratrol in wine and the catechins in green tea.
\
To always stay updated on the latest news from scientific research on omega-3s, subscribe to our newsletter.
Source
* Iwasaki M, Yoshihara A, Moynihan P, Watanabe R, Taylor GW, Miyazaki H, “Longitudinal relationship between dietary ω-3 fatty acids and periodontal disease”, Nutrition. 2010 Nov-Dec;26(11-12):1105-9. Epub 2010 Jan 25
** Iwasaki M, Taylor GW, Moynihan P, Yoshihara A, Muramatsu K, Watanabe R, Miyazaki H, “Dietary ratio of n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and periodontal disease in community-based older Japanese: a 3-year follow-up study”, Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2011 Aug;85(2):107-12. Epub 2011 May 20
*** Huang CB, Ebersole JL, “A novel bioactivity of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their ester derivatives”, Mol Oral Microbiol. 2010 Feb;25(1):75-80
