Dietary Supplement Important for Oral Health

By CP Staff

A recently published study investigated the effect of a dietary supplement on pathogenic microbes found in the mouth and oral cavity. Previous research suggests that poor oral health causes systemic inflammation, which is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. In the United States, approximately 92 percent of adults have dental caries, 23 percent have untreated decay, and another 8.5 percent have periodontal (gum) disease.

In this new study, investigators evaluated the in vitro effectiveness of the polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and their ester derivatives on the survival of pathogens commonly found in the oral cavity. The researchers evaluated whether these omega-3 fatty acids may have additional benefits to oral health beyond their anti-inflammatory activity.

The results of the study showed that all 3 fatty acids and their ester derivatives exhibited significant antibacterial activity against several oral pathogens including Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. All 6 fatty acid compounds tested inhibited growth in vitro of the pathogens by 50 percent at concentrations of 1-10 mcg/ml.

The researchers concluded, “This study suggested that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could have a positive therapeutic effect for improving oral health via their antibacterial activities, besides their anti-inflammatory effects.”

Reference: Huang CB, Ebersole JL. A novel bioactivity of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their ester derivatives. Molecular Oral Microbiology. 2010 Feb;25(1):75-80.