The link between periodontitis and negative pregnancy outcomes has been proven in several studies, and this new research, conducted by the University of Sydney, starts with the aim of testing if gingival inflammation, which unlike periodontitis is reversible and treatable, can also be linked to it.
Does gingivitis have a negative influence on pregnancy?
During pregnancy, gingival inflammation is quite common, and the hormones produced during this period tend to make it worse. If we add to this the fact that the bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum, present in gingivitis, has been frequently found in pregnant women who have suffered a premature birth, we see a clear link between gingivitis during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
One of the authors of this report, Professor Joerg Eberhard, warns that gingivitis “releases inflammatory markers and bacteria into the systemic bloodstream that can reach the placenta and induce poor pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth”. He adds that, based on the findings of the study, “even a mild inflammation in the oral cavity can negatively affect pregnancy outcomes”.
So, if a pregnant woman suffers from gingivitis and does not treat it, it can either lead to premature birth of the baby (almost 11% of babies are born prematurely) or low birth weight (about 20 million babies, 15.5% of births worldwide, are born underweight).
The conclusions of the study
During the study, which involved 1,031 women at different stages of pregnancy, the patients underwent three randomised controlled trials of gingivitis treatment.
Clinical trial results provide sufficient evidence that treating pregnant women for gingivitis reduces the risk of preterm birth (by about 50%) and increases birth weight (by about 100 grams), implying that oral health is as important a prenatal care as any other, and keeping gum inflammation under control through regular check-ups is a guarantee of good health for both mother and baby.
