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ePaper created 2018-04-25, 10:58:32 | version 1.38.0
| systemic diseases Pregnant women are hardly informed about the importance of oral health By DTI A new mother herself, pregnancy gingivitis has be- come a subject close to Dr Anja Carina Borer’s heart. She set up a joint campaign between Oral-B and the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), which pro- motes oral health during pregnancy and educates health professionals and the wider public on the issue. Origi- nally trained as a dentist in Mainz in Germany, Anja now serves as Professional and Scientific Relations Manager Europe at Procter & Gamble in Geneva in Switzerland, where we met with her for some questions and answers on the subject. Fittingly, she brought along her 4-month- old daughter, who cooed quietly in her pram throughout the interview. Oral-B and the EFP have touched upon a very im- portant and personal topic, in that periodontal dis- ease could affect the developing baby. Dr Anja Carina Borer: Yes. Gingivitis is a well-known side-effect during pregnancy and the latest data shows that practically every pregnant woman suffers from it. The number of bleeding sites is about three times higher in pregnant women than in the average adult. Even I, a den- tist equipped with more than enough scientifically sound Oral-B products, experienced some gingival bleeding for the first time in my life! As we know, untreated gingivi- tis can lead to periodontitis, the inflammatory burden of which can negatively impact pregnancy. Although more consistent in-depth studies are necessary, periodontitis during pregnancy has already been linked with premature birth, low birthweight and pre-eclampsia. This topic is im- portant as most pregnant women are not aware of this problem and therefore often do not recognize the warn- ing signs of gum problems such as bleeding or sensitive gums. With our campaign, we want to inform women and make sure they take good care of their oral health and see a dental professional in order to prevent possible oral health problems and pregnancy complications. How can periodontitis lead to these complications? Clinical studies suggest that bacteria from the oral cavity —specific microorganisms associated with periodontitis— colonise the foetus and the placenta, with blood as the most likely vehicle of transmission. As a consequence, the presence of periodontal bacteria in the feto-placen- tal unit may activate a local immune or inflammatory re- sponse that might negatively affect the pregnancy. m o c . k c o t s r e t t u h S / v o n a b o L y r t i m D © 22 prevention 1 2018