Abstract
Background
Periodontitis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease. Although n-3 fatty acids
have anti-inflammatory properties, it is unclear whether n-3 fatty acids can treat
or prevent periodontitis.
Method
We studied 9,182 adults aged 20 years and older who participated in the National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2004. Periodontitis was assessed
by dental exam and was defined as >4 mm pocket depth and >3 mm attachment loss in
any one tooth. Intake of n-3 fatty acids was assessed by 24-hour dietary recall. We
used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the associations between periodontitis
and intakes of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and linolenic
acid (LNA).
Results
The weighted prevalence and 95% confidence interval (CI) of periodontitis was 8.2%
(95% CI 7.0 to 9.4). Compared with the lowest tertiles, the adjusted odds ratios for
periodontitis associated with the highest tertiles of dietary n-3 intake were 0.78
(95% CI 0.61 to 1.00; P=0.009) for DHA, 0.85 (95% CI 0.67 to 1.08; P=0.10) for EPA, and 0.86 (95% CI 0.60 to 1.23; P=0.28) for LNA. The associations were little changed by multivariable adjustment or
exclusion of individuals reporting use of dietary supplements containing DHA, EPA,
or LNA.
Conclusions
In this nationally representative sample, higher dietary intakes of DHA and, to a
lesser degree, EPA, were associated with lower prevalence of periodontitis. Interventional
studies are needed to confirm the potential protective effects of n-3 fatty acids
on periodontitis.
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Biography
A. Z. Naqvi is an instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School, and a hospitalist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Biography
C. Buettner is an instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School, and an internist, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Biography
R. S. Phillips is a professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and chief, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
Biography
R. B. Davis is an associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; director of biostatistics, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and an associate professor, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Biography
K. J. Mukamal is an associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; an internist, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and a visiting scientist, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 24,
2010
Footnotes
Meets Learning Need Codes 3050, 4000, and 4040. To take the Continuing Professional Education quiz for this article, log in to ADA's Online Business Center at www.eatright.org/obc, click the “Journal Article Quiz” button, click “Additional Journal CPE Articles,” and select this article's title from a list of available quizzes.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
