Periodontal disease and pregnant diabetics.

• Position: Mouth - Brief Article

Pregnant diabetics have more gingival inflammation and deeper pockets between their teeth and gums, which are symptoms of periodontal disease, than nondiabetic pregnant women, a study at the University of Iowa's Colleges of Dentistry and Medicine, Ames, revealed. The findings are significant because periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that may make diabetes more difficult to control. Previous studies have shown that periodontal disease may increase a woman's risk of delivering a pre-term, low-birth-weight baby.

The study compared 13 type I diabetic and 20 nondiabetic women in their 20th to 39th week of pregnancy. "Many women experience periodontal problems, such as bleeding and swollen gums, during pregnancy," explains lead researcher Janet Guthmiller. "But the more-advanced periodontal disease we observed in pregnant diabetics, who are already considered high risk for pregnancy problems, may affect blood sugar control during this critical time."

Exacerbating the situation, periodontal disease may independently be a risk factor for preterm, low-birth-weight babies. Periodontal disease may trigger increased levels...