Periodontal condition and blood citrate level in pregnant women

Effect of pregnancy on gingival inflammation in systemically healthy women: a systematic review

AIM

To obtain an overall quantitative estimate of the association between pregnancy and gingival inflammation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Medline and EMBASE databases were searched through August 2011. Prospective cohort or cross-sectional studies assessing the effect of pregnancy on gingival inflammation evaluated by the gingival index (GI) and/or bleeding on probing were included. Meta-analyses were performed if possible.

RESULTS

Forty-four articles representing 33 studies (14 cohort and 19 cross-sectional) were included. Meta-analyses, performed whenever possible, revealed (1) a significantly lower GI in pregnant women in the first term compared with those in their second or third term of pregnancy; (2) a lower mean GI score in post-partum women compared with women in their second [WMD = 0.143; 95% CI (0.031; 0.255); p = 0.012] or third term [WMD = 0.256; 95% CI (0.151; 0.360); p < 0.001] of pregnancy, when considering cohort studies; (3) Non-pregnant women had lower mean GI values than women in their second or third term of pregnancy. Small changes in plaque levels were reported.

CONCLUSION

Despite the limited number of studies included in the meta-analyses, the present systematic review confirms the existence of a significant increase in GI throughout pregnancy and between pregnant versus post-partum or non-pregnant women, without a concomitant increase in plaque levels.

The effects of age and fluoride exposure on fluoride, citrate and carbonate content of human cementum

A study was conducted to determine the values of several chemical components of dental cementum. Extracted teeth from continuous residents of low, optimal, and high natural fluoride areas were selected to determine the effects of fluoride exposure and age on the fluoride, citrate and carbonate content of cervical and apical areas of sound and periodontally diseased human cementum. 1. For normal cementum the mean fluoride content of all 18 groups was 0.443 plus or minus 0.04%on an ash basis and 0.253 plus or minus 0.02% on a dry weight basis; the mean citrate content was 1.52 plus or minus 0.10% on an ash basis and 0.86 plus or minus 0.06% on a dry weight basis; the mean carbonate content was 4.95 plus or minus 0.39% on an ash basis and 2.79 plus or minus 0.22% on a dry weight basis. 2. For diseased cementum the mean fluoride content of all 12 groups was 0.575 plus or minus 0.03% on an ash basis and 0.342 plus or minus 0.02% on a dry weight basis; the mean citrate content was 1.19 plus or minus 0.07% on an ash basis and 0.71 plus or minus 0.05% on a dry weight basis; the mean carbonate content was 5.95 plus or minus 0.47% on an ash basis and 3.50 plus or minus 0.28% on a dry weight basis. 3. There is a general increment in fluoride content of normal cervical and apical cementum, both with age and fluoride exposure. For diseased cementum this held true for fluoride exposure but not age. 4. The mean fluoride content of cervical cementum is greater than that of apical cementum for both normal and diseased groups. For citrate and carbonate no definite statistical differences were noted between cervical and apical areas. 5. The diseased cementum has a significantly higher mean fluoride content, a significantly lower citrate content, and a slightly, but not statistically significant, higher carbonate content than normal cementum. 6. Unlike bone, no inverse fluoride/citrate or fluoride/carbonate relationship was observed. 7. For both normal and diseased groups the carbonate content of cementum of individuals over age 40 tended to be lower than for individuals 20-40 years of age.