Pregnancy always had affected the dental health of the expectant mother. Now a new study suggests that periodontal inflammations can lead to a condition of preeclampsia in the pregnant women.
The study links chronic dental inflammation and periodontal infection, together with periodontitis with atherosclerosis to preeclampsia. Such an oral condition happens due to high blood pressure and substance abuse like smoking, etc. The basic reason for setting in the disease is bacterial plaque that invites infections to cause inflammations and bleeding gums. Brushing teeth after every meal and flossing are some good ways for stopping the formation of bacterial plaque.Researchers have found out that protein levels in the women having preeclampsia are three times higher in women with periodontitis than the control group.
Preeclampsia is often caused by a set of proteins called cytokines. The study is the first to link the cytokines to preeclampsia. Researchers of the study feel that such a link need to be probed deeply. They also feel that treatment of such a condition might be checking for oral health and removing periodontitis as a preventive measure to reduce the occurrence of preeclampsia in pregnant women.
Link: http://www.perio.org/consumer/preeclampsia.htm
