Gingivitis is a gum disease that develops over time for a variety
of reasons including improper diet and poor dental hygiene, but
hormones are also suspected to play a role. Because of the hormonal
changes present in pregnant women they are particularly susceptible to
periodontal disease. I addition, because mothers are supplying all of
the nutrients to their developing fetus, traditional treatments for
gingivitis have been questioned.
There are a few questions that
medical professionals have had to ask in order to ensure the proper
health and development of babies being carried by mothers with gum
disease. One issue that has been brought up in the past is the
possibility that traditional treatments for gingivitis, such as
antibiotics, can stain the babies' teeth. In addition, treating
gingivitis with a more intense teeth cleaning may introduce bacteria
into the mother's bloodstream, thus passing it to her unborn fetus.
A
new study shows that the treatment of gingivitis in pregnant mothers is
not seriously detrimental to the overall long-term health of the baby.
The study was conducted by Dr. Bryan Michalowicz, and included 400
2-year old toddlers. The study was published in the journal Pediatrics.
Dr. Michalowicz is a dentist at the University of Minnesota in
Minneapolis.
In the study, half of the women were treated with an
aggressive teeth-cleaning treatment, while the other half were not
treated at all. A key question that was in need of being answered is
whether or not gum disease in pregnant women affects the health and
development of their unborn children. It has been hypothesized that
periodontal disease in pregnant women can have adverse affects on the
growth and development of their babies. If this were true the dental
health of women would become a key focal point in addressing fetus
health during pregnancy.
The results showed that in pregnant
women, gum disease itself and the treatment of gum disease had no
significant effect on the overall health and development of their babies
after birth. It was found that children of mothers who had been treated
for gingivitis performed no differently on any of the cognitive and
developmental tests than the children of mothers who had not been
treated.
The main findings in this study supported that pregnant
women should in fact be treated for gum disease. While no definitive
health or developmental benefit can be identified for their unborn
children, mothers do not risk harming the overall health of their
children by getting treated for gingivitis.
As with any medical issue, consult with your Obstetrician before making any decisions regarding your babies' health.
Written by Frank Versteeg, a consultant for a Chicago family dentist.
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