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Exercise Improves Periodontal Repair Following Ligature-induced Periodontitis in Rats.
Priscila Alves Teixeira Ribas1, Joao Victor Schoemberger Roth1, Henrique Kenji Takarada2
1Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil.
International Journal of Sports Medicine
|March 6, 2026
Summary
Regular exercise may aid periodontal repair. This study in rats suggests exercise, whether initiated early or late, significantly reduced bone loss and modulated growth factors, promoting better bone healing after periodontitis.
Area of Science:
- Periodontology
- Exercise Physiology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Periodontitis is a prevalent inflammatory disease causing bone resorption and tooth loss.
- Current treatments focus on managing inflammation and surgical repair, with limited options for enhancing natural healing.
- The potential role of physical activity in modulating inflammatory and regenerative processes in periodontal tissues remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of exercise on bone repair in a rat model of periodontitis.
- To evaluate the effects of early versus late initiation of exercise on periodontal healing.
- To analyze the influence of exercise on key growth factors and inflammatory markers associated with periodontal regeneration.
Main Methods:
- A periodontitis model was established in Wistar rats using cotton ligatures.
- Animals were divided into Control, Early Treatment (ligature removal + exercise), and Late Treatment (exercise then ligature removal) groups.
- Radiographic, histological, and multiplex inflammatory analyses were performed on collected tissues and serum.
Main Results:
- Both early and late exercise interventions significantly reduced bone loss at 56 days compared to controls.
- Early treatment enhanced fibroblast and blood vessel presence, indicative of tissue repair.
- Late treatment elevated serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), while both exercise groups showed increased gingival Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF).
Conclusions:
- Exercise interventions, initiated either early or late, demonstrate a positive effect on periodontal bone repair in rats.
- Exercise may promote periodontal healing by modulating growth factor expression, including VEGF and EGF.
- These findings suggest exercise is a biologically plausible adjunct therapy for enhancing periodontal regeneration.
