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Pregnant woman's gingivitis caused baby to be stillborn, scientists say

For quite some time now, evidence has shown a link between gum disease and a variety of other health related issues including stroke, heart attack, many cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, premature births, low birth weight babies and many others. In an msnbc article posted Friday, January 22, 2010, scientists say that a pregnant woman's gum disease caused her child to be stillborn.

A new study shows that pregnant women with untreated gum disease may be risking more than their teeth. They may actually be putting the lives of their unborn babies at stake.

Pregnant women have long been warned about the dangers of gum disease and the effects it can have on their unborn children. They've been told that, left untreated, gingivitis and periodontitis can cause not only premature births but can also cause babies to be born too small and underdeveloped. Now, for the first time, scientists have been able to link the bacteria from an expectant woman's gums to an infection that caused a full-term infant to be stillborn. The study was published in Obstetrics and Gynecology on Thursday, January 21, 2010.

After a 35-year-old woman from California contacted scientists from Case Western University to investigate the death of her unborn child, the discovery was made which linked the death to the gum disease bacteria. In earlier studies by the same scientists, results showed that an oral bacteria called Fusobacterium nucleatum could cross the placenta in mice. The California woman questioned whether or not the same bacteria could spread from the bloodstream to the placenta in humans.

Once a woman has bleeding gums, bacteria in the mouth can easily get into the bloodstream, but generally, this type of bacteria can be easily eradicated by the immune system of the pregnant woman. Because of special conditions that exist only in the womb, scientists suspect that the human fetus can be more susceptible.

Yiping Han, an associate professor of periodontics and pathology at Case Western University, the author of the study, says, "Once the bacteria are in the blood, they can go almost anywhere. The placenta is an immunosuppressed organ, compared to other organs like the liver and the spleen. And that makes it easy for the bacteria to colonize the placenta."

The California woman told researchers that she had experienced signs of gum disease during her pregnancy including heavy bleeding from her gums; however, bleeding gums aren't unusual in pregnant women. In fact, about 75 percent of pregnant women develop bleeding gums due to normal hormonal changes; but mild gum disease can be treated simply by brushing and flossing more often. However, a small percentage of pregnant women with more serious cases of gum disease will require dental surgery during their pregnancies.

Pregnant women with uterine infections that can harm a fetus usually contract the infection by bacteria that work their way up from the vaginal canal; but the researchers in this case detected a bacteria in the stillborn baby not typically found in the vaginal canal, says Han. Plaque samples were taken from the California woman's teeth and were found to contain the exact same strain of the oral bacteria found in the deceased baby's stomach and lungs.

Dr. Richard Beigi, an obstetric infectious disease specialist and an assistant professor of reproductive science at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center warns that women shouldn't be overly alarmed by the new study. Since this is just a single case, pregnant women with bleeding gums should not overreact.

*source: www.msnbc.com

Linda Carroll, msnbc.com contributor: updated 8:43 a.m. ET, Fri., Jan. 22, 2010

Still, there's an important lesson to be learned. Pregnant women should be diligent about their oral health and should not ignore the signs of gum disease including bleeding gums. If you are a pregnant woman who has more questions about the risks of gum disease to your unborn child, visit www.drnemeth.com or call 248.357.3100.

Michigan Periodontist, Dr. Joseph Nemeth and his staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have or to schedule an appointment for a periodontal evaluation. Dr. Nemeth will work closely with your OB/GYN to come up with a treatment plan that is safe and effective for both you and your unborn baby.

Connective tissue grafting is a procedure designed to treat areas where significant recession of gum tissue has occurred, exposing the root surfaces of the involved teeth. Recession can cause many problems, including an esthetically compromised smile and increased sensitivity and discomfort. It can also lead to pr

oblems such as root decay.

Connective tissue grafting covers the area of recession with your own gum tissue. It is highly successful and provides excellent esthetic

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You can also visit www.drnemeth.com or call 248.357.3100

to learn more about Michigan gum disease treatment.

There has been much information documented recently about the importance of reducing your periodontal disease risks. A recent study suggests that drinking green tea may be the key to keeping your gums healthy. The study analyzed the periodontal health of 940 men, and found that those who regularly drank green tea had superior periodontal health than subjects that consumed less green tea. The study, published in the American Journal of Periodontology can be read in its entirety at www.perio.org, the home of the American Academy of Periodontology website. Click this link to be directed to the report.

To learn more about prevention and treatment of gum disease Michigan, visit www.drnemeth.com or call the office of Joseph R. Nemeth, DDS and Associates at 248.357.3100.

Have you ever caught yourself running out to meet a new client or on your way to a hot date and wondered “do I have bad breath”? Of course most of us have had this experience at one time or another but in most of our cases; the bad breath is fleeting. Those of us who are afflicted with true oral malodor, or halitosis as it is more commonly referred to, have known how distressing this problem can be. It can affect both our social interactions and our personal life. Many of us have gone from place to place to have this checked out; and most to no avail. It seems that nothing helps this problem for any length of time; not mouth wash, not gum, and not breath mints. What, if anything can be done?

Before we discuss what can be done for bad breath, we first need to understand the etiology of halitosis. In days past, bad breath was thought to originate in the stomach or intestines. If not there; then we’d check the sinus cavities. In the majority of cases, checking out both these areas produced no evidence of infection or disease which would result in bad breath. Next area of inspection; surprise, surprise, was the oral cavity. The oral cavity is loaded with bacteria which can cause everything from tooth decay to bleeding gums. Although gum disease or gingivitis can contribute to bad breath, a secondary source of the bacteria is often found on the surface of the tongue. This bacteria is the same stuff we all are exposed to, however, depending on our genetic predisposition, the bacteria likes to stay with some of us longer. When this happens, it settles into the cracks and crevices on the tongue where they remained undisturbed until we do something out of the ordinary to get rid of them.

At the Richter Center in Southfield, Mi, we have been treating bad breath successfully for 16 years. We use a simple program that involves removing these bacteria from the surface of the tongue both in office and at home. We also recommend a non-alcohol based mouthrinse in order to kill the bacteria we are unable to scrape off. We then make sure that we eliminate the bad gum disease and any tooth decay. A combination of these two things, plus a stringent home care regime can provide a welcome relief from the scourge of halitosis and give those that suffer with it and new reason to smile.