Impact of Maternal Periodontal Infection on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Review
Dina Mohammed Hasan, Firas Basheer Al-Taweel
Periodontal disease is a local infection of the tissue surrounding the dentition, but has a systemic impact on human health. During pregnancy, the prevalence of periodontal infection increases. A considerable number of studies evaluate the relationship between periodontal diseases and the outcomes of pregnancy, mainly preterm birth and low weight at birth. The aim of this review is to highlight the present facts about the correlation between pregnancy and periodontitis, as well as the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie this association. In order to find studies and reviews that have been peer-reviewed, we searched the PubMed and Google Scholar databases using the following keywords: adverse pregnancy outcomes, periodontitis, preterm birth, lowbirth weight , systematic review, meta-analysis. Poor maternal periodontal status may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and more study must be carried out to investigate the causal relationship. And although the studies that evaluate the efficacy of non-surgical periodontal treatment in reducing the prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes were conflicting, and as long as periodontal therapy is considered safe throughout the second trimester of pregnancy, it is advisable to include periodontal screening and treatment as a standard component of prenatal care for all pregnant women.
Keywords: Low birth weight, Periodontitis, Pregnancy outcomes, Preterm birth
