The Science of Dentistry

Pregnancy Gum Disease

If you’re a pregnant woman dealing with morning sickness or a menopausal woman suffering through hot flashes, your gums are probably the last thing on your mind. However, dentists say women need to pay special attention to oral health care or risk health complications.

Infant Formula Fluoride

While it’s important for your baby to get enough fluoride for strong tooth development and decay prevention, too much of this important mineral can lead to a condition called “enamel fluorosis.”

It happens quite often that women underestimate the importance of a good oral hygiene.  According to a new research, the time which is needed for a woman to get pregnant is extended by as much as two months, if she struggles with gum disease complications.

Every two minutes, somewhere around the world a woman dies in childbirth. Often, a lack of access to care, technology or medications causes these fatal complications.

A new study funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and The Procter & Gamble Company suggests that non-alcohol antibacterial mouth rinse containing cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) decreases the incidence of preterm birth by reducing the severity of periodontal disease.

You have so much to think about during pregnancy, but don’t overlook your dental health, which can be affected by the hormonal changes you will experience during this time.

Breast Feeding

Mothers who breastfeed should be sure to have enough Calcium in their diet, or may risk bone loss around their teeth and gums, according to a new study that appears in the January issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).

Mother and Baby Smiling

A babies smile doesn’t just warm a mother’s heart -  it gives her a natural high, scientists say.  An intriguing new study has shown that infant smiles light up the ‘feel-good’ parts of the brain that also respond to drugs and drink.

Pregnant Woman

Here are some helpful facts about gum disease and how it relates to women that are pregnant or on birth control. First, nearly all forms of gum disease are caused by dental (bacterial) plaque (an organized mass of bacteria), which generally accounts for 90% of the problem. 

Oral Bacteria Linked To Pre-Term Births

Bacteria in the mouths of pregnant women can contribute to preterm birth, according to researchers from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, and Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights. The findings are published in the April 2010 issue of the journal Infection and Immunity.

Teeth During Pregnancy

The best thing you can do as an expectant mother is to nurture and maintain your own dental and general health.

Baby Teething

Your beautiful five-month-old baby boy, who has been the most perfect little angel since birth, has suddenly turned into a cranky, fussy, drooling, chews-on- everything-in-site little monster! He is now keeping you up half the night, and needs to be held, bounced, and nursed all day long. Welcome to the wonderful world of infant teething! Here are some practical tips to help you and your baby get through this stage:

Premature Baby

A non-surgical dental procedure may reduce the risk of preterm birth in pregnant women with periodontal disease (pregnancy periodontal disease), according to study findings. Nearly 12 percent of babies in this country are born preterm (before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy), which increases their risk of death and lasting disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, lung and gastrointestinal problems, and vision and hearing loss.

Pregnancy

A study appearing in the Journal of Periodontology identified bacteria commonly found in the mouth and associated with periodontal diseases in the amniotic fluid of some pregnant women.

American Fertility Association

Researchers found that women undergoing ovulation induction for infertility treatment for more than three menstrual cycles experience higher gingival inflammation, bleeding and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). This study appeared in the Journal of Periodontology.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a rapidly progressive condition observed during pregnancy, characterized by hypertension and the presence of protein in the urine. At least 3% to 5% of pregnancies are affected, resulting in high morbidity and mortality around the world.  Altered vascular related conditions have been proposed as the main pathogenic mechanisms leading to placental endothelial damage.  Preeclampsia is also associated with short and long term abnormal cytokine responses in the mother and the fetus, related to high circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-6. Thus, the result is an inflammatory vascular damage that induces preeclampsia and other pregnancy complications such as low birth weight (LBW) or preterm births. Understanding the initiating etiologic factors may serve to properly design preventive and therapeutic strategies.