A combination of omega-3 and low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) produced results comparable to antibiotics in treating severe periodontitis. This conclusion is based on a study conducted by researchers affiliated with Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, Guarulhos University (UNG), the University of Taubaté (UNITAU), and the Ribeirão Preto School of Dentistry at USP (FORP-USP) in Brazil, as well as Harvard University in the United States.
The findings were published in the Journal of Periodontology and suggest a promising therapeutic alternative for some patients by reducing the need for antibiotics. These findings are particularly relevant amid growing global concern about bacterial resistance.
The study followed 109 patients with advanced periodontitis over one year. Advanced periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the accumulation of bacteria beneath the gums, affecting the tissues that support the teeth. If left untreated, it can lead to tooth mobility, bone loss and even tooth loss.
"Patients with severe disease have very deep pockets, which act as reservoirs for bacteria associated with the disease. It's a very challenging condition to treat," says dental surgeon Nídia Cristina Castro dos Santos, the first author of the study and a professor and researcher at Einstein.
