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Link between Mother’s Gum Disease and Stillbirth

January 25th, 2010 · 4 Comments

We’ve known for some time that gum disease can contribute to premature birth and low birth weight, but now, research from Yiping Han of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine shows a direct link in one situation, connecting a mother’s gum disease to the cause of her child’s pre-birth fatality.

The mother delivered her full-term baby in California in 2008. She had suffered with pregnancy-related gum disease for some time. Bleeding gums, according to Han’s speculation, allowed the bacteria from gum disease to enter the mother’s bloodstream, travel to the placenta, and be ingested by the fetus. Han was unable to study the human subject’s amniotic fluid but has found similar occurrences in animal testing.

Normally, our bodies contain oral bacteria to the mouth. And in most cases, a mother’s natural defense keeps bacteria from reaching the placenta. However, the human subject’s immune system was also battling an upper respiratory infection just days before she went into labor. Her defenses were down.

Two-thirds of pregnant women experience bleeding gums because of hormone changes.

Han’s human subject was seen by a periodontist. With DNA cloning, Han found that bacteria in the mother’s mouth was the same as that which caused infection in the fetus’ lungs and stomach. Other tests eliminated the potential of external infection from the mother’s birth canal and body. Han concluded that the infection must have been spread thorough the mother’s bloodstream.

Since the study, the mother has improved her oral health and successfully birthed a healthy child.

Source: MedicalNewsToday.com

Tags: Clinical

4 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Upper West Side Dentist // Jan 28, 2010 at 1:03 pm

    Great post, I think a lot of people don’t realize how important dental care really is. Many factors, such as gum disease stated above can really harm not only pregnant women, their children but ordinary individuals as well.

  • 2 Upper West Side Dentist // Jan 28, 2010 at 1:03 pm

    Great post, I think a lot of people don’t realize how important dental care really is. Many factors, such as gum disease stated above can really harm not only pregnant women, their children but ordinary individuals as well.

  • 3 Bob Nordquist // Feb 5, 2010 at 12:21 am

    The correlations between perio and systemic disease continue to grow too rapidly. The same treatment recommendations are made and disease rates remain epidemic. Maybe the ‘tried and true’ isn’t the way. We are seeing remarkable results in oral health with Revitin Oral Therapy. Ask Nate Birnbaum or Douglas Terry or Judith Timchula or John Heimke – they are reporting amazement at pt response. Perhaps its time to consider something new.

  • 4 Bob Nordquist // Feb 5, 2010 at 12:21 am

    The correlations between perio and systemic disease continue to grow too rapidly. The same treatment recommendations are made and disease rates remain epidemic. Maybe the ‘tried and true’ isn’t the way. We are seeing remarkable results in oral health with Revitin Oral Therapy. Ask Nate Birnbaum or Douglas Terry or Judith Timchula or John Heimke – they are reporting amazement at pt response. Perhaps its time to consider something new.

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