27 June 2025

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Sanders to lead study investigating dietary interventions for TMD pain

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Anne Sanders, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Adams School of Dentistry, has been awarded National Institutes of Health funding to lead a randomized controlled trial evaluating a novel dietary intervention for chronic temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain.

The study, titled “Safety and Analgesic Efficacy of Marine Lipid Precursors of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators in Adults with Chronic Temporomandibular Pain,” will assess the safety and analgesic efficacy of a marine oil dietary supplement in adults with chronic TMD pain.

TMD affects an estimated 10 million U.S. adults and is often accompanied by hyperalgesia, comorbid pain, and psychological distress. Current treatments offer only partial, short-term relief and are often associated with adverse effects. “This highlights the need for safer, more effective approaches,” Sanders noted.

Her team is building on their earlier studies to test whether omega-3 fatty acids and specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) can relieve TMD pain. SPMs are bioactive lipids derived from omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, found in fatty fish. “Unlike conventional analgesics that suppress symptoms, SPMs activate endogenous pathways to promote resolution, restore nociceptive balance, raise pain thresholds, and reduce anxiety,” Sanders explained. “By targeting both sensory and emotional dimensions of pain, they offer a mechanistically distinct and potentially safer approach to managing chronic TMD pain.”

Following a one-year planning phase, a five-year implementation phase will randomize 100 adults with examiner-verified TMD myalgia and/or arthralgia to receive either a marine oil supplement, enhanced with SPM precursors, or placebo daily for eight weeks. The study will evaluate changes in pain sensitivity, nociceptive function, psychological distress, and circulating levels of lipid mediators.

“If our findings support the hypothesized effects, SPMs could offer a safe, effective alternative to current pharmacologic treatments,” Sanders said. “Their mechanism of action also raises the possibility of preventing onset TMD pain — a promising avenue for future research.”

Source: https://dentistry.unc.edu/