A peer‑reviewed study in rats reports that moderate exercise combined with omega‑3 supplementation improved immune markers and limited bone loss in chronic apical periodontitis, an inflammatory infection at the tooth’s root tip often arising from untreated decay. The authors and research backers stress that human trials are needed to confirm clinical relevance.
Chronic apical periodontitis typically develops when bacteria from untreated dental caries reach the root canal and apex, triggering inflammation and bone destruction in surrounding tissue. That disease mechanism is described in the new paper and accompanying research summaries. (dx.doi.org)
The study, published March 13, 2025 in Scientific Reports, assigned 30 Wistar rats to three groups: control, a swimming‑based exercise protocol, and exercise plus omega‑3. Omega‑3 was administered by gavage for 60 days; apical periodontitis was induced on day 30, and animals were euthanized on day 60. (dx.doi.org)
Results showed that exercise alone reduced tumor necrosis factor‑alpha (TNF‑α) staining and limited bacterial spread, while the combination with omega‑3 further lowered interleukin‑17 (IL‑17) and TNF‑α, preserved collagen, and decreased osteoclast activity (TRAP‑positive cells). Micro‑CT analysis confirmed smaller areas of alveolar bone loss in exercised animals, with the exercise‑plus‑omega‑3 group showing the greatest preservation. (dx.doi.org)
“In rats, physical exercise alone brought about a systemic improvement, regulating the local immune response. In addition, when combined with supplementation, it further reduced the destructive condition caused by endodontic pathology,” said first author Ana Paula Fernandes Ribeiro of São Paulo State University’s Araçatuba School of Dentistry (FOA‑UNESP), in a release from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). (agencia.fapesp.br)
A separate FAPESP summary notes a bidirectional relationship between apical periodontitis and systemic conditions including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, arteriosclerosis, and kidney disease, underscoring broader health implications of uncontrolled oral inflammation. These links were contextual background rather than endpoints tested in the rat experiment. (agencia.fapesp.br)
“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,” said Rogério Castilho Jacinto, a professor at FOA‑UNESP who supervised the study. He and the research team emphasized the need for clinical studies to determine whether similar benefits occur in people. (sciencedaily.com)
The work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). (agencia.fapesp.br)