Severe Pregnancy Complication (Pre-eclampsia) is associated with greater periodontal destruction

Pre- eclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disease which is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal mortality. The etiology of pre-eclampsia remains elusive. The underlying pathology may be related to a generalizad intravascular hyperinflammatory state. Since the placental histopathologic lesions of acute atherosis, seen in pre-eclampsia, bear resemblance to those seen in atherosclerosis, and recent evidence links atherosclerosis with chronic infection, the authors decided to investigate a possible link between pre-eclampsia and chronic periodontal infection. Thirty primigravidas, 15 suffering from pre-eclampsia, had full mouth periodontal examination. Gingival crevicular fluid samples were taken for laboratory immunological assessment. Similar examination and sampling were performed in 15 age-and maternal status-matches controls.

Results showed that significantly higher periodontal probing depth and clinical attachment level scores were found in the pre-eclamptic group compared with controls (2.98 versus 2.11 and 3.33 verus 2.30, respectively). Plaque index, gingival index, and mean gingival overgrowth scores were very similar in both groups. Futhermore, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, and interleukin (IL)-1 levels were all significantly higher in the pre-eclamtic group (247.4 ngr/sample, vesus 89.1 ngr/sample, 8.03 pgr/sample versus 4.03 pgr/sample, and 175.7pgr/sample versus 62.2 pgr/sample, respectively.)

The authors concluded that the above results suggest a possible association between periodontal inflammation and pre-eclampsia.

Oettinger-Barak O., Barak S., et al.
J of Periodontology 2005, vol. 76 (1): 134-7