The aim of this study was to determine the effects of n-3 ingestion on periodontal disease. Besides, we also investigated the relationship between plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and/or aracdonic acid (AA), and periodontal disease. An electronic search was performed in several databases with the following keywords: "n-3," DHA, EPA and polynsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in combination with the term "periodontal disease" (PD). Only studies conducted with humans, involving clinical parameters of PD assessment and use of n-3 were selected, without restriction to the date of publication. The search has returned 1368 articles, 11 of which were selected. The results were separated according to the type of n-3 ingestion: supplementation or n-3 content in normal diet. In the studies where n-3 has been supplemented, there was no significant difference in the clinical severity of PD compared to the control subjects. However, in patients where levels of n-3 were evaluated in a usual diet, a lower disease severity was reported. We have detected a preventive effect related to plasma levels of EPA and DHA against PD progression. Thus, n-3 ingestion may beneficially interfere in PD progression, depending on the duration and dosage of consumption.
Keywords: Fatty acids; dietary fats; periodontitis.