Motherly Love Digi-Mag Autumn 2022

PREGNANCY ORAL HEALTH
28
Our research
shows that
incorporating
a rapid pointof-care
test into routine
antenatal examinations
could help diagnose
periodontal disease.
The test is simple and
inexpensive and is widely
used as a diagnostic test
for periodontal disease.
If the test is set
up before the patient is
examined, it can deliver
a result by the time her
examination is complete.
This would alert antenatal
health care providers
of the risk of adverse
pregnancy outcomes.
Mothers can then be
referred to a dental clinic
for prompt treatment to
reduce their risk.
Premature babies
Across the world, about
6.9 million babies die due
to prematurity. Many as a
result of their birth weight
being low. In the US about
7% of babies are born with
a low birth weight while
in the UK, this figure sits
at 6%.
But in Africa up to
12% of babies are born
with a low birth weight.
In South Africa neonatal
deaths account for about
40% of all deaths in
children under the age
of 5. In Angola and the
Central African Republic,
close to 100 babies in every
1000 die within the first
four weeks of birth. These
are the highest known
rates of infant death in the
world. This compares to
the UK and the US where
only seven in every 1000
infants die within the first
four weeks of life.
Studies have linked
babies born prematurely
with a low birth weight to
their mothers’ smoking
habits, and her ethnicity.
Other factors have also
played a role such as the
mother’s age, whether
she previously delivered a
baby that had a low birth
weight, whether she had
pregnancy complications
and the type of delivery
she had.
Some research
found a link between
periodontal disease
and adverse pregnancy
outcomes but other
studies couldn’t establish
a conclusive link. None of
these studies were in the
developing world.
But our research in
South Africa and Rwanda
has found a link between
mothers with periodontal
disease that deliver
underweight preterm
babies. Our study was
the first in Africa to link
periodontal disease to preterm
delivery.
What we found
As part of our research
we did two studies. One
focused on pregnant
women during their
antenatal visits to maternal
obstetric units in Kwazulu-
Natal. The other looked
at mothers admitted to
labour wards in Rwanda’s
Butare Hospital.
One study showed
there was a strong
likelihood that there would
be an adverse pregnancy
outcome when a mother
was clinically diagnosed
with periodontal disease.
Those who didn’t have
periodontal disease were
more likely to have normal
pregnancy outcomes.
The other study
focused on the specifics
of the bacteria associated
with periodontal disease.
In the immune
system there are two
sets of proteins called
cytokines, which regulate
the body’s response to
an inflammation. There
are pro-inflammatory
cytokines and antiinflammatory
cytokines.
In normal full term
pregnancies, proteins that
encourage inflammation
in the body are regulated
by those that dismiss
the inflammation.
This prevents the
body developing an
inflammation and
rejecting the fetus.
But our studies
confirmed that when a
woman had periodontal
disease there was an
imbalance in these
proteins which could
create an inflammation
in the woman’s body and
induce preterm labour.
Changing testing
patterns
The earlier periodontal
disease is diagnosed in
pregnant women, the
less of a chance it has of
having an impact on their
delivery.
Surveys into
practice behaviours of
obstetricians in other
countries show there’s
growing awareness of the
link between periodontal
disease and adverse
pregnancy outcomes.
But not enough is
being done to forge the
collaboration between
the antenatal health care
providers and oral health
care professionals.
Obstetricians argue
that they have no time to
perform oral examinations
during antenatal
consultations. And, they
argue, these would be
better performed by oral
health care workers. ■
CURAPROX KIDS
TOOTHPASTE
BUILD THE RIGHT
HABIT FOR A
LIFETIME
Fun, fresh, healthy.
Flavours: Watermelon,
Strawberry and
Mint
No SLS, no triclosan, no
bleaching agent, no microplastics.
No ingredients
derived from animals.
Boosts antibacterial effect
of saliva, strengthens the
teeth
Fluoride strengths: zero,
950 ppm and 1450 ppm
curaprox.co.za
Motherly Love issue 2