This may reduce adverse birth outcomes in patients with gum disease

Scaling and root planing (SRP) along with using mouthwash may significantly reduce the risks of preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW) in pregnant patients with periodontitis. The review was recently published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

Incorporating gum disease care into prenatal care protocols may offer a simple, cost-effective way to better maternal and fetal health outcomes, the authors wrote.

"This review is an essential step towards developing evidence-based clinical guidelines to integrate periodontal care into existing prenatal care services, including screening and treating PD (periodontal disease) during pregnancy," wrote the authors, led by May Salama, MPH, of Old Dominion University (BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, November 6, 2024, Vol. 24, 726) in Norfolk, VA.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can increase the risk of PD, with up to 75% of expectant mothers experiencing gingivitis -- a mild, reversible form, and some progressing to periodontitis. Research suggests that untreated PD may release inflammatory mediators and bacteria into the bloodstream, potentially impacting fetal development, they wrote.

This systematic review and meta-analysis used a comprehensive search strategy that ultimately included nine randomized clinical trials with a total of 3,985 pregnant women, they wrote.

Analysis showed that periodontal treatment during pregnancy significantly reduced preterm birth incidence, with a risk ratio (RR) of 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.88; p = 0.03) and substantial heterogeneity across studies (inconsistency index) I² = 91%; p < 0.01). Similarly, treatment during pregnancy significantly lowered the risk of low birth weight, with an RR of 0.33 (95% CI, 0.13-0.84, p = 0.03), though heterogeneity remained high (I² = 90%, p < 0.01), according to the results.

The study, however, had limitations. Most trials demonstrating benefits of PD treatment were of low to moderate methodological quality, so the results should be interpreted with caution, the authors wrote.

"SRP with mouthwash use during pregnancy were associated with significantly lower risks of PTB and LBW," Salama and colleagues wrote.