Clinical trials in Australia are underway for a substance that even your grandmother knew was the key to a long and healthy life: that’s right, fish oils. Usually known as the nasty cod liver oil administered to sick children by old-fashioned grandparents, fish oils may be a breakthrough in periodontal medicine.
A recent study done in South Australia suggests that taking a combination of fish oils and aspirin can be an “adjunct treatment” for periodontitis. It is known that the OMega-3 fatty acid chains in fish oils are extremely healthy, and oral surgeons are now stipulating that they may be increasingly helpful in fighting gum disease.
This is only a preliminary study, however, and nothing too far reaching can be concluded. The study has so far evaluated 8 patients who consume the oils on a regular basis, but all of them have shown faster healing times and greater resistance to periodontitis. Further studies with a larger number of patients and a support group need to be made in order to evaluate just how effective these methods really are. The gathering of evidence is well underway, however, and it would not be surprising if pretty soon studies involving this dubious fishy substance will soon be available.
