How will periodontal disease and pregnancy affect dental treatment? | Dental Treatment Guide


Almost twelve percent of babies in the United States are born prematurely. This number has gone up from twelve percent in nineteen eighty five. The women who are at risk of delivering premature babies are those who are carrying multiple foetuses like twins or triplets, those who have a history of premature birth, and those who have abnormalities in their uterus or in their cervix. There are still many undiscovered reasons on why women give birth prematurely.

One study conducted in nineteen ninety six found that women who gave birth before their thirty seventh week of pregnancy have advanced periodontal disease. This was also true for women who had babies weighing less then two thousand and five hundred grams or about five and a half pounds. The study showed that women with periodontal disease are seven times more likely to give birth prematurely or have a baby with a low birth weight as compared to women who have healthy gums. According to the study, the researcher’s calculations concluded that about eighteen percent of premature births in the United States can be connected to periodontal gum disease.

There have been more studies that show that women with periodontal disease are more likely to give birth early. Regardless of whether the periodontal disease is mild or severe, these women are more likely to give birth before they reach their thirty seventh week of pregnancy. They are also more likely to give birth to children with low birth weights. On the contrary, there is also research that shows no link between periodontal disease and these birth results.

Researchers today are still trying to find out whether there is conclusive evidence that can link periodontal gum disease to premature births. There are also some studies that show that when the body tries to fight off bacteria from periodontal gum disease, early labour is induced.

There have been studies that try to show what happens when pregnant women get treated for their gum disease. Common treatments would include scaling and root planing. This will involve thorough cleaning of the crowns and the roots of your teeth. Studies show that these treatments could reduce the risks of premature birth. There are also studies that do not show this effect. It is safe for the mother and the unborn baby to go through periodontal treatment in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Periodontal disease can result in preeclampsia. It is a poorly understood and very dangerous condition known to increase blood pressure sharply. This affects about five percent of pregnant women. The only cure for this disease is actually giving birth. This will put the baby at risk if the delivery is premature. It will put the mother at risk because complications like strokes, kidney failures, and haemorrhages can happen. There are only a few studies that connect preeclampsia to periodontal disease. More research must be conducted in order to discover whether there is a cause and effect relationship between the two.

Further Information about Dental Treatment & Pregnancy