Trying for a baby? Then brush your teeth as gum disease affects fertility

Oral hygiene helps women conceive two months faster

In a new study presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 27th Annual Meeting held recently in Stockholm, fertility specialists found that gum disease could significantly delay the chances of conceiving.

Experts at the University of Western Australia in Perth questioned almost 4,000 women who were 12 weeks pregnant. A total of 26 per cent were confirmed to have gum disease.

They found delays in conceiving among those aged 35 and over, smokers and obese women – already known risk factors. But there was a higher level of gum disease – one in three – among the women who took more than a year to get pregnant.

Gum disease is caused by a build up of plaque and leads to bad breath, bleeding gums and can cause cavities, receding gums and tooth loss if left untreated. Bleeding gums can, in turn, allow up to 700 different types of bacteria to enter the blood stream.

It is not clear how gum disease may trigger problems with conceiving, but infected gums may release inflammatory chemicals, which activate the immune system and inflame the lining of the womb. This could make it difficult for the implantation of a fertilised egg.

“Women should be encouraged to see their dentist to have any gum disease treated before trying for a baby,” said Lead researcher Professor Roger Hart. “It is easily treated, usually involving no more than four dental visits.” He added that more than a quarter of pregnant women have gum disease and that there’s also evidence linking it to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.

Professor Hart added that there was also evidence gum disease in men impaired their sperm quality and he would recommend any couple wanting to start a family to visit a dentist first.

Source: News release, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 27th Annual Meeting

Picture credit: www.myhealthguardian.com

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