EFFECT OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENTATION ON SALIVARY SIALIC ACID LEVEL IN SMOKERS WITH PERIODONTITIS AFTER NON SURGICAL PERIODONTAL THERAPY

ABSTRACT AIM: To evaluate and compare the effect of omega 3 fatty acid oral supplements as an adjunct to scaling and root planing on gingival and periodontal health and on salivary acid levels. Materials & Methods: 30 smokers with chronic periodontitis randomly divided into test and control groups (15 in each) using a flip coin method. Subjects in the test group will be advised to take omega 3 fatty acid capsule once daily for 45 days after scaling & root planing and the subjects in the control group will not receive any supplementation after scaling & root planing . Subjects in both the groups will be asked not to take any other nutritional supplements or antiplaque agents other than regular tooth brushing during the study period. Clinical parameters assessed were simplified oral hygiene index (OHI), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth will be measured before scaling and root planning, at baseline after 15 days and 45 days. Biochemical parameters salivary sialic acid will be measured at baseline,15 and 45 days. Results: there is no significant effect of Omega-3 fatty acids oral supplementation as an adjunct to scaling and root planing on gingival health and salivary sialic acid levels in smokers. Both the groups showed significant reduction in oral hygiene index from base line to 15 days and from 15 days to 45 days also (p = 0.00). On intragroup comparison in both the groups at different time intervals there was no significant difference in both test and control group from 15 days to 45 days (p =0.33). Inter group comparison of gingival index scores between the test and control group showed statistically significant difference both after 15 days and 45 days with (p=0.006) and ( p= 0.005) respectively. comparison of probing depth scores between the test and control group after 15 days and 45 days has no statistically significant difference with (p = 1.00) and (p =0.72) respectively. salivary sialic acid levels between the test and control group after 15 days and 45 days showed statistically significant difference (p =0.00). Conclusion: Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation did not appear to enhance the therapeutic effects of NSPT in smokers with periodontitis with respect to probing depth, but resulted in significant reduction in gingival index that reflects gingival inflammation and salivary SA levels, a marker of systemic/oral inflammation