Dentalcompare
Clinical Director
Rhuematoid arthritis, heart disease, stroke… all have been linked to the health of your mouth. If the gums are puffy and red from poor brushing or flossing, they will bleed easily during normal home care. The problem is that the bacteria in your mouth then have open access to the rest of your body via your bloodstream. For most people, the immune system can take this onslaught. But, for example, if you have certain predisposed heart conditions, you are more at risk for these bacteria to cause problems.
Case Western Reserve University Researchers have now found a link to yet another population prone to having problems related to oral bacteria: Pregnant Mothers. They have in the past shown that oral bacteria can circulate to the uterus, and cause pre-term birth. Now, MSNBC is reporting on a case in which this same bacteria caused a child to be stillborn.
In this case, the patient had heavy bleeding from her gums, which can be a classic sign of periodontal disease. Now it is well known that pregnant woman will have an increased amount of inflammation in their gums due to hormone changes. This is different. The idea here is that this particular patient was not in a normal healthy range in terms of her dental care, and the excess amount of bacteria potentially caused the damage.
Now I have read all the pregnancy books which explicitly detail everything you should or shouldn’t be doing in pregnancy, from avoiding hot tubs and sushi, to making sure you eat Folic Acid like candy. This is not necessarily one more thing to worry about. Just make sure good brushing and flossing is part of your daily routine.
Dentists: you can educate patients on their risk level, and encourage frequent cleanings and good home care. Stay educated on the issues, so that you can be that trusted resource for your patients. I can guarantee, they will be asking about this.
Update:
Click Here to see a video with Yiping Han, Ph. D. talking about her ongoing research.