Non-Cochrane · intervention · PM42458370
Evaluation of the effect of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Naghsh Narges, Karimi Faeze, Maracy Mohammad Reza · BMC oral health · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1186/s12903-026-09314-2
Findings
Population Systemically healthy adults with chronic periodontitis
17 findings
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction 6 to 12 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Follow-up subgroup | MD 0.86 [0.51, 1.21] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction Pooled across 1 to 12 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Overall | MD 0.57 [0.40, 0.74] Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 18 studies |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain 3 to 5 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Follow-up subgroup | MD 0.58 [0.33, 0.82] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Sensitivity: median (IQR) study removed | Sensitivity analysis removing the study with median (IQR) data: CAL still significantly improved (numbers in Appendix 2 Fig 5, not available) GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Periodontitis classification 1999 | MD 0.37 [-0.03, 0.77] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction 1 to 2 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Follow-up subgroup | MD 0.36 [0.11, 0.61] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Pooled across 1 to 12 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Overall | MD 0.54 [0.36, 0.72] Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 15 studies |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Sensitivity: median (IQR) study removed | Sensitivity analysis removing the study with median (IQR) data: PPD still significantly improved (numbers in Appendix 2 Fig 6, not available) GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Sensitivity: trim-and-fill | MD 0.417 [0.40, 0.42] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Sensitivity: correlation rho 0.25 | MD 0.54 [0.36, 0.72] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Sensitivity: correlation rho 0.25 | MD 0.57 [0.40, 0.75] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction 3 to 5 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Follow-up subgroup | MD 0.53 [0.29, 0.77] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain 6 to 12 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Follow-up subgroup | MD 0.8 [0.47, 1.14] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Periodontitis classification 2017 | MD 0.88 [0.65, 1.10] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Periodontitis classification 2007 | MD 0.75 [0.37, 1.12] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Clinical attachment level (CAL) gain 1 to 2 months · Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Follow-up subgroup | MD 0.2 [-0.06, 0.47] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
| Scaling and root planing plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | Scaling and root planing alone or with placebo | Probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction Non-surgical periodontal therapy · Sensitivity: trim-and-fill | MD 0.488 [0.48, 0.49] GRADE not reported Studies not reported |
Included primary studies 37
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standó 2020 Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids EPA and DHA as an Adjunct to Non-Surgical Treatment of Periodontitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. PMID:32867199 | 2020 | 3 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Deore 2014 Omega 3 fatty acids as a host modulator in chronic periodontitis patients: a randomised, double-blind, palcebo-controlled, clinical trial. PMID:24616831 | 2014 | 2 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Umrania 2017 Evaluation of dietary supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as an adjunct to scaling and root planing on salivary… PMID:29491585 | 2017 | 2 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| El-Sharkawy 2017 THE IMPACT OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS COMBINED WITH INITIAL PERIODONTAL THERAPY ON SALIVARY VISFATIN AND TNF-Α LEVELS IN CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS… DOI:10.21608/edj.2017.74541 | 2017 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Eldessouky 2024 Nonsurgical Treatment of Periodontitis in Menopausal Patients: A Randomized Control Trial DOI:10.1155/2024/6997142 | 2024 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Elgendy 2018 DOI:10.3290/j.ohpd.a40957 | NR | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Martinez 2014b Serum level changes of long chain-polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients undergoing periodontal therapy combined with one year of omega-3… PMID:25177518 | 2014 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Prasanth 2024 Clinico-immunological evaluation of use of omega-3 fatty acids as nutraceutical approach in management of patients with chronic… DOI:10.1016/j.mjafi.2024.04.013 | 2024 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Standó-Retecka 2023 Clinical and microbiological outcomes of subgingival instrumentation supplemented with high-dose omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in… DOI:10.1186/s12903-023-03018-7 | 2023 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ahmad 2019 THE ADJUNCTIVE BENEFITS OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS AS A DAILY DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS… DOI:10.21608/asdj.2019.164510 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ahmad 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ali 2024 Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Periodontal Inflammation and Pocket Depth Reduction. PMID:39926818 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Deore 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| El-Sharkawy 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Eldessouky 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Elgendy 2018 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Farahmand 2024 Comparative assessment of Omega-3 and CoQ10 as adjuncts to periodontal therapy and total antioxidant capacity of saliva in patients with… DOI:10.1016/j.sdentj.2024.09.014 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Farahmand 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Keskiner 2017 Dietary supplementation with low‐dose omega‐3 fatty acids reduces salivary tumor necrosis factor‐α levels in patients with chronic… DOI:10.1111/jre.12434 | 2017 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Keskiner 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kujur 2020 Efficacy of omega 3 fatty acid as an adjunct in the management of chronic periodontitis: A randomized controlled trial DOI:10.4103/ijdr.ijdr_647_18 | 2020 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Kujur 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Martinez 2014 (J Periodontal Res) matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Martinez 2014a The impact of non‐surgical periodontal treatment on serum levels of long chain–polyunsaturated fatty acids: a pilot randomized clinical… DOI:10.1111/jre.12104 | 2013 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Maybodi 2022 Effects of omega-3 supplementation as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy on periodontal parameters in periodontitis patients:… DOI:10.1186/s12903-022-02569-5 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Maybodi 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Murali 2022 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Prasanth 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Rosenstein 2003 Pilot study of dietary fatty acid supplementation in the treatment of adult periodontitis DOI:10.1016/s0952-3278(02)00272-7 | 2003 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Rosenstein 2003 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Salian 2024 Comparative Evaluation of Effectiveness of Omega-3 Fatty Acids as an Adjunct to SRP with Conventional SRP: A Randomized Clinical Trial DOI:10.5005/jp-journals-10024-3690 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Salian 2024 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Shalaby 2019 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Standó 2020 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Standó-Retecka 2023 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Suramya 2014 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Umrania 2017 matched by author and year (probable) | NR | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Overlap with other reviews
Reviews that include the same primary studies are not independent evidence. Shared counts match studies by PMID, DOI or NCT, and otherwise by author and year (a probable match). Only the non-Cochrane dental reviews have study lists, so overlap with Cochrane reviews is not counted yet.
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Healthy patients aged 18 or older with chronic periodontitis | Systemically healthy chronic periodontitis patients, 5 to 40 participants per study; two studies in postmenopausal women (n=21 studies) |
| Intervention | SRP plus adjunctive omega-3 supplementation | SRP plus omega-3 at 200 to 3000 mg/day for 1 to 12 months (n=21 studies) |
| Comparison | SRP alone or with placebo | SRP alone or with placebo |
| Outcomes | Mean change in PPD and CAL | CAL gain (15 studies in meta-analysis); PPD reduction (18 studies in meta-analysis) |
| Study designs | Controlled clinical trials (English), any sample size | 21 RCTs (18 pooled) |
| Timing | Not specified | 1-2, 3-5 and 6-12 months |
AMSTAR 2 items
Two independent extractors rated each item. Their ratings are shown side by side because they have not been reconciled yet. The overall rating follows Shea et al. 2017: one critical flaw gives Low, more than one gives Critically Low.
| Item | Extractor A | Extractor B | Agree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Research question includes PICO components | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 2Protocol established before the reviewcritical | Partial Yes | Partial Yes | yes |
| 3Choice of study designs explained | No | No | yes |
| 4Comprehensive literature searchcritical | No | Partial Yes | no |
| 5Study selection in duplicate | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 6Data extraction in duplicate | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 7List of excluded studies with reasonscritical | No | No | yes |
| 8Included studies described in detail | Partial Yes | Yes | no |
| 9Risk of bias assessed satisfactorilycritical | RCT: Yes | NRSI: N/A · RCT: Yes | no |
| 10Funding of included studies reported | No | No | yes |
| 11Appropriate meta-analysis methodscritical | RCT: Yes | NRSI: N/A · RCT: Yes | no |
| 12Impact of risk of bias on the pooled results | No | No | yes |
| 13Risk of bias accounted for in interpretationcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 14Heterogeneity explained | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 15Publication bias investigatedcritical | Yes | Yes | yes |
| 16Conflicts of interest reported | Yes | Yes | yes |
| Overall | Critically Low | Low | no |