Gum disease affects women's fertility

Enjoying good oral hygiene habits such as brushing teeth and flossing regularly can improve women's fertility and their chance of conception.

A new Australian study involving 3,416 pregnant women showed that periodontal disease may delay the time needed for conception by two months on average.

Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bones supporting the teeth.

Previous studies have linked gum disease with several health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, respiratory and kidney problems as well as pregnancy-related complications such as miscarriage and premature birth.

While periodontal disease is believed to be associated with fertility problems in men, the new study says the condition, just alike obesity, can affect women's fertility and conception rate.

According to the new study called the SMILE, University of Western Australia researcher found that women with gum disease need in average more than seven months to become pregnant while the average conception time is about five months for their peers with healthy gums.

The results also revealed that it takes non-Caucasian women with gum disease in average more than a year to become pregnant, said the report presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).

"Our data suggest that the presence of periodontal disease is a modifiable risk factor, which can increase a woman's time to conception, particularly for non-Caucasians," said senior researcher Roger Hart from the University of Western Australia.

Researchers suggest that chronic inflammation in oral cavity causes a chain of reactions that may affect other organs such as reproductive system.

Considering the fact that about 10 percent of the whole population suffers severe gum disease, researchers recommend women who are considering becoming pregnant consult with their dentist to make sure they do not have any gum disease.

Scientists also emphasized that dental hygiene is just a part of "a whole package of healthy lifestyle."

"You have to make sure you're the appropriate weight, and many women need to lose weight, they need to stop smoking, they need to curtail alcohol to a minimum amount, they need to take folic acid, they need to ensure they've got the rubella vaccination," Hart added.

source: presstv