A combination of omega-3 and low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) performed about as well as antibiotics in a yearlong study of people with severe periodontitis, raising the possibility of an alternative treatment for some patients.
The research was conducted by scientists 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, along with Harvard University in the United States. The findings were published in the Journal of Periodontology.
Researchers say the results could eventually help reduce antibiotic use in selected patients, an important consideration as bacterial resistance becomes an increasingly serious global health problem.
Severe Periodontitis Can Damage Bone and Teeth
Supported by FAPESP (projects 20/05874-2 and 20/05875-9), the clinical study included 109 people with advanced periodontitis who were followed for one year.
