Omega-3 Fights Mouth Bacteria and Boosts Oral Health
The dental health benefits of omega-3 fats may include anti-bacterial effects, extending the benefits beyond inflammation.
Omega-3 fats were found to have strong anti-bacterial activity against a range of oral pathogens. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), as well as their fatty acid ethyl esters, could inhibit the growth of oral pathogens, including Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Porphyromonas ginigivalis.
A study found that the fatty acids showed 50 percent inhibitory activity for concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 micrograms per milliliter.