Mouthwash Use In Pregnancy Reduces Risk Of Premature Baby

Pregnant women with gum disease may be less likely to have a premature baby if used during pregnancy mouthwash, according to a study. These women are more likely than pregnant women without periodontal disease have premature labor. But whether this relationship is causal and whether better oral hygiene would make a difference.

A new study is not definitive evidence, found that regular use of alcohol-free mouthwash reduced by 75 percent the risk of labor later. "This is extremely encouraging," said Dr. Steven Offenbacher, a professor at the School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina who was not involved in the study.

"We do not know how we can better manage these patients." The team, which included funds specialists and Procter & Gamble, the company selling mouthwash used in the study, asked 71 pregnant women with gingivitis to rinse your mouth with Crest Pro Health twice a day for 30 seconds. Then compare the number of premature births in this group with another group of 155 pregnant women with periodontal disease, but only used water to rinse the mouth.

Thirty-four women (or 1 in 5) were treated with water premature babies before 35 weeks gestation. In the group treated with the rinse, only 4 women had premature babies, which is 1 in 20 births. The difference between the groups "was incredible," said Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat, senior study author and professor at the School of Dental Medicine University of Pennsylvania. But he said the women knew which treatment they had received (water or mouthwash), which could have biased the results. Jeffcoat's team did not identify why the mouthwash was associated with a reduction in preterm birth, but may influence gingivitis.

Periodontal disease begins when bacteria in infected teeth and cause gum inflammation. Pregnancy may exacerbate the disease. Inflammation of the gums includes a hormone-like substance, prostaglandin E2, Jeffcoat said. This substance acts on the labor. His hypothesis is that gingivitis causes inflammation and an increased circulation of prostaglandin E2 in the body, causing premature labor. By treating periodontal disease, women can lower the level of prostaglandin E2 and reduce the risk of being labor ahead.

The study, published in American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also found that mothers who had not used the mouthwash had more tissue inflammation and bleeding gums. The aggressive tooth cleaning is also used to treat periodontal disease in pregnancy. One study revealed in April that the procedure was safe for pregnant women. But whether any influence in preterm labor. "We found that these treatments do not usually prevent the aggravation of gingivitis during pregnancy," said Offenbacher.

Mouthwash is a less invasive and more economical. Both dentists agreed on the importance of oral health care in pregnancy. "Women should use a soft brush and the right way", involving the teeth with the bristles, Jeffcoat had told Reuters Health earlier this year. "The main goal should be to prevent, prevent and prevent."