Plasma Female Sex‐Hormone Levels and Gingivitis in Pregnancy

Abstract

This investigation has confirmed that there is an increase in gingival inflammation between the 14th and 30th weeks of pregnancy and that this will occur despite a fall in the amount of plaque at the dento-gingival junction. This implicates a further factor in addition to plaque accumulation to explain the increased inflammmation. It was confirmed that there are marked increases in the plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone between the 14th and 30th weeks of pregnancy but it was not possible to demonstrate a direct association between these increases and the increase in gingival inflammation.

Evolution of resident oral bacterial biota in BALB/c mice during pregnancy and lactation

“…These results differ from those obtained in humans where pregnancy gingivitis seems to be induced by variations in physiological factors [9,10,25]. It should be noted, however, that gingivitis is generally attributed to the proliferation of strict anaerobes in the human oral bacterial biota [20] and that the mouse does not harbor such anaerobic species [31].…”

Bacterial colonization of the oral cavity of the BALB/c mouse

“…We have already reported that there is a higher proportion of E.faecalis on the teeth in mice as compared to other sites in the mouth [27]. It is well known that, in humans, puberty is characterized by important hormonal changes and that some of these hormones can be found in the crevicular fluid [10] and saliva [20]. It has been established that these hormones could be used as growth factors by members of the subgingival bacterial flora such as Prevotella intermedia [10,11,15].…”

Androgens Modulate Interleukin‐6 Production by Gingival Fibroblasts In Vitro

“…17 Some have suggested that pregnancy gingivitis may be an accentuated inflammatory response to dental plaque. 17 Some have suggested that pregnancy gingivitis may be an accentuated inflammatory response to dental plaque.…”