Treatment of periodontal disease in pregnancy

Epidemiological studies have shown that clinical and subclinical periodontal infections during pregnancy are associated with preterm birth. Infection is thought to result in the release of proinflammatory cytokines, which have downstream effects on other biological pathways and tissues. The association was first noted for bacterial vaginosis in the 1980s and 1990s, and randomised controlled trials were then performed to assess whether screening and treating the infection during pregnancy would improve pregnancy outcomes. Most of these trials found no benefit, and such screening is not currently recommended.1 More recently, observational data have suggested that periodontal disease may also be linked to preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.2 Several large clinical trials have since been performed to assess whether pregnancy outcomes can be improved with treatment⇓.

In the linked systematic review (doi:10.1136/bmj.c7017), Polyzos and …