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Updated: Jun 24, 2025
Robust Ligature-Induced Model of Murine Periodontitis for the Evaluation of Oral Neutrophils
Published on: January 21, 2020
The association between polyunsaturated fatty acids and periodontitis: NHANES 2011-2014 and Mendelian randomisation
Tao Li1, Huadong Wu1, Zhenzhen Fu1
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Background:
We aimed to explore the association and potential causality between polyunsaturated fatty acids concentrations and the risk of periodontal disease.
Materials And Methods:
Data were collected from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Weighted logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis were used to analyse the associations of the concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratio with the risk of periodontitis. E-value and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses were used for sensitivity analyses. In addition, two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses were performed to assess the potential causal impact of the concentrations of those fatty acids on periodontitis risk.
Results:
A total of 2462 participants from the NHANES were included. Logistic regression analysis revealed that high omega-3 fatty acids levels were negatively associated with the risk of developing periodontitis (P < 0.05), while the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratio was positively associated with the risk of developing periodontitis (P < 0.05). There was no significant association between omega-6 concentrations and the risk of periodontitis. The findings mentioned above were confirmed by analysis following a 1:1 PSM. Furthermore, MR examination of the two samples indicated no possible causal link between the risk of periodontitis and the concentrations of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids or the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (P > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Although omega-3 fatty acids and the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratio were associated with the risk of periodontitis in cross-sectional studies, the MR results did not support a causal relationship between them. Therefore, there is no indication that an increase in the omega-3 fatty acids concentration or a decrease in the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratio may be beneficial for preventing periodontitis.
