Research progress on the relationship and mechanisms between periodontal disease and preterm birth and low-birth-weight infants.

Author: Wanhong WU ¹ ; Changchang YE ²
Author Information

1. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Dept. of Periodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
2. State Key Laboratory of Oral Disea
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: periodontal disease; pregnancy; preterm birth and low-birth-weight infants
From: West China Journal of Stomatology 2017;35(5):527-532
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Preterm birth (PB) is defined as the birth of a baby less than 37 weeks of gestational age. Low birth weight (LBW) is defined as a newborn baby's weight of less than 2 500 g. PB is often accompanied by LBW. Preterm low birth weight (PLBW) is the leading cause of newborn deaths. Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic oral infectious disease, and it is closely related with general health. Epidemiological data show that PD is a risk factor for PLBW and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. The possible mechanisms include the direct effects of periodontal bacteria, inflammatory reactions, and immune response; however, the exact pathogenetic mechanism involved remains controversial. This article aims to review the research progress on the relationship between PD and PLBW and their underlying mechanisms, as well as the effects of periodontal treatment on PLBW incidence.