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Dental News
The Journal of the American Dietetic Association has published the results of a new study that suggests fish oil could help prevent gum disease, a.k.a. Periodontitis.
Researchers studied nearly 9,200 adults aged 20 between 1999 and 2004 and found that people whose diets are full of omega-3 fatty fish oil are 30 percent less likely to have gum disease. The high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids help decrease inflammation.
Periodontitis Defined
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.
Dental exams showed study participants in the middle and upper third for omega-3 fatty acid consumption were between 23 percent and 30 percent less likely to have gum disease than those who consumed the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
And Now Some Quotes
"Eating a very feasible amount of fatty fish seems to have a lot of benefit," said senior study author Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "But we found no benefits to eating tons of this stuff." Sources high in omega-3 fatty acids include sardines, mackerel and swordfish, along with some nuts and seeds such as walnuts and flax seed.
In an accompanying commentary, Elizabeth Krall Kaye, a professor in the department of health policy and health services research at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, said the study supports incorporating fatty fish into one's diet, but not necessarily fish oil supplements.
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This is an interesting study. The benefits of Omega-3 seems to be endless.
ReplyDeleteMy mom takes fish oil supplements for her heart condition. I was also taking this regularly in order to have good blood circulation. Upon reading the blog, I've asked a dentist (Germantown TN-based) about the benefits of Omega 3 to our teeth. He told me that it is indeed a supplement to make teeth stronger. Instead of depending on fish oil as a source of Omega 3, he recommended me to have a balance diet instead and to clean my teeth through proper brushing and flossing. From what he has told me, a healthy teeth and gum can really be a result of a healthy living even without fish oils.
ReplyDeleteGreat Read! Wow, I did not know that this fatty fish is actually a great treatment and prevention for the various gum diseases.
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