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The edge that could keep you out of the dentist’s chair
When we find something particularly unpleasant, we often compare it to a root canal. I’ve had a couple, and let’s just say there’s not much I find less enjoyable.
Unfortunately, there is currently no better way to save a damaged or infected tooth than to undergo a root canal. So, it’s best to do everything you can to avoid having one in the first place.
Of course, good dental care is your first line of defense against the kind of tooth infection that leads to a root canal. But who couldn’t use an edge to stay out of the dentist’s chair…
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Exercise, omega-3 and tooth health
Caries, or tooth decay, can cause inflammation at the tip of the tooth’s root, or apex, and its surrounding area. If left untreated, the bacteria can reach the root canal and pass through it to the apex, causing an infection known as apical periodontitis. A form of gum disease, this condition can lead not only to tooth loss but also to bone loss.
“It’s a condition that patients may not even know they have because of its chronic nature, but which can evolve and lead to bone destruction and tooth mobility,” says Rogério de Castilho of the Araçatuba School of Dentistry at São Paulo State University (FOA-UNESP) in Brazil. “In addition, in specific situations, such as a drop in immunity, it can become acute, so the patient starts to feel pain, pus forms at the site, the face can become swollen.”
There’s also a two-way relationship between specific health conditions that can worsen apical periodontitis, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, arteriosclerosis and kidney disease. At the same time, infection in the apex can exacerbate these diseases.
Castilho supervised a study in which researchers at FOA-UNESP induced apical periodontitis in 30 rats and divided them into three groups. The first group was left alone. The second and third groups underwent a 30-day swimming regimen. The third group also received dietary supplementation of omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid that has proven therapeutic effects on chronic inflammation and associated diseases.
“In rats, physical exercise alone brought about a systemic improvement, regulating the local immune response,” says Ana Paula Fernandes Ribeiro, the first author of the study, carried out during her doctorate at FOA-UNESP. “In addition, when combined with supplementation, it further reduced the destructive condition caused by endodontic pathology.”
Benefits to bone and tissue
The study is the first to show that a combination of moderate physical exercise and omega-3 supplementation significantly reduces the inflammation caused by apical periodontitis. The combination of these activities:
- Limited bacterial progression.
- Reduced bone tissue loss.
- Regulated the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
- And stimulated the activity of fibroblasts, the cells that create and maintain tissue.
The authors note that the study provides new evidence of the benefits of exercise and omega-3 fatty acids for the immune system and oral health. Next, they would need to conduct a large clinical study to see if the same would be true in humans.
However, this study reinforced the findings of previous research that indicate omega-3 fatty acids could help fight off periodontitis and protect against the tooth pulp infection and loss that lead to root canal.
Keeping your teeth healthy could be the nudge you need to exercise regularly and add healthy omega-3s to your diet. Make sure you take a high-quality fish or krill oil supplement, or if you’re a fan of fish, eat at least two servings weekly.
Here are a few fish that are rich in omega-3:
- Mackerel
- Salmon
- Herring
- Oysters
- Sardines
Editor’s note: Do you know that poor gums and teeth are linked to the number one killer in America? Not to mention kidney disease… rheumatoid arthritis… Parkinson’s disease… depression… and so much more. Click here to discover America’s Hidden Dental Health Crisis: How to protect yourself and your family from this dangerous public health peril!
Sources:
A combination of exercise and omega-3 reduces the severity of tooth root infections — Agência FAPESP
Physical exercise alone or combined with omega-3 modulates apical periodontitis induced in rats — Scientific Reports
What is a Root Canal? — American Association of Endodontists
By Carolyn Gretton
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