Influence of a High-fat Diet in the Progression of Apical Periodontitis

Abstract Introduction This study evaluated the effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on the progression of apical periodontitis (AP) in rats. Methods Eight-week old Wistar rats (N = 24) were included in this study. Half of the animals received an HFD and the other half a control diet (CD). AP lesions were induced 8 weeks later by creating pulp exposure of the mandibular left first molars. The animal’s body mass was verified on a weekly basis. After 21 and 40 days, the animals were sacrificed. Blood was collected for biochemical tests, and the liver was removed for hepatic triglycerides analysis. The left hemimandibles were removed, radiographed, and then prepared for histologic evaluation. The right hemimandibles (region near molars) were removed for bone mineral density analysis by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results Radiographs showed that AP lesions were significantly larger in the HFD group compared with the CD group (P Conclusions Findings suggest that an HFD can influence the progression and severity of AP.