Can periodontitis prevent pregnancy?

We sometimes forget how important a healthy mouth is. Of course, avoiding cavities and wanting white teeth is one thing. But a healthy mouth goes beyond the aesthetics of your smile, it’s much deeper than that. Studies have actually shown that not keeping up with oral hygiene and health can lead to heart disease and other serious health issues.

A devious health issue commonly found is periodontitis, which is a serious gum infection that damages the gums and can even destroy the jawbone. This infection can grow and mutate to become different diseases and also have various dangerous side effects. You can read more about it here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/242321.php

As incredible as it is, having unhealthy gums can lead to serious complications — some may even seem unrelated and unexpected. A recent study shows that if one develops periodontitis it could lead to delayed pregnancy in young women! Esteemed researchers at the University of Helsinki found a common periodontal pathogen that can delay conception. The study was published in the Journal of Oral Microbiology and involved 256 healthy, non-pregnant woman from the age of 19 to 42 who discontinued contraception in order to become pregnant. The participants were given thorough dental and gynecological exams to search for two things. The first was that they didn’t exhibit any other health issues and the second was testing them for major periodontal pathogens.

The woman were closely observed for 12 months to see whether they became pregnant in that time period. The researchers found that the women with higher levels of a certain periodontal bacterium in their saliva did not become pregnant during this period in contrast with the woman whose saliva didn’t have the bacterium.

“Our results encourage young women of fertile age to take care of their oral health and attend periodontal evaluations regularly,” Susanna Paju, a periodontist and researcher at the University of Helsinki, said in a press release.

“Our study does not answer the question on possible reasons for infertility but it shows that periodontal bacteria may have a systemic effect even in lower amounts, and even before clear clinical signs of gum disease can be seen. More studies are needed to explain the mechanisms behind this association.”

Therefore, it’s vital for couples who hope to conceive to ensure that their dental health is in top shape to speed up the process and ensure a healthy family. More importantly, it’s vital that all families take the care of finding a periodontic specialist that can spot the signs immediately and stop periodontal disease in its tracks!

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