How your dental hygiene can seriously affect your fertility

Finnish dentists have found a bizarre link between women's dental hygiene and their chances of becoming pregnant.

A joint research project carried out at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases at the University of Helsinki, in co-operation with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Helsinki University Hospital, has found that a common form of gum disease may delay conception in young women. Periodontitis, a bacterial inflammation of the gums that can lead to tooth loss, is the sixth most common medical condition in the world according to the Global Burden of Disease Study. Although research to date has shown that periodontal diseases can be a risk for general health, there have been no specific studies on the influence of gum disease on conception or fertility. Periodontist and researcher Dr Susanna Paju, says that the findings place even greater importance on good oral hygiene:

"Our results encourage young women of fertile age to take care of their oral health and attend periodontal evaluations regularly."

The Finnish team's unusual findings, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Oral Microbiology, were based on 256 healthy non-pregnant women (ranging in age from 19 to 42) who had stopped using contraception in order to become pregnant. Clinical oral and gynecological examinations were performed on the women from Southern Finland. The researchers used saliva and vaginal swabs to detect the presence of gum disease and bacterial vaginosis. Participants were then followed-up to establish whether they pregnant or not during the following year. The clinical team found that a bacteria (porphyromonas gingivalis) commonly associated with gum disease was significantly more common in the saliva of women who didn't become pregnant during the 12-month follow-up period than in those who did. The levels of antibodies against this pathogen were also significantly higher in women who did not conceive. Statistical analysis showed that the finding was independent of other risk factors contributing to conception, including age, smoking, socioeconomic status, bacterial vaginosis, and previous childbirth. Dr Paju says that the women who had this bacteria in their saliva (and higher antibody levels against it) were between three and four times less likely to become pregnant when compared to their counterparts:

"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. Infertility is a major concern, and increasing healthcare resources are needed for infertility treatments. More attention should be paid to the potential effects of common periodontal diseases on general health. We encourage young women to take care of their oral health and maintain good oral hygiene when they are planning a pregnancy."