Gum Disease, Gestational Diabetes Link

Nearly one out of two women with gestational diabetes also have periodontal disease, according to researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans.

In contrast, just over one in 10 pregnant women without gestational diabetes have periodontal disease, according to study authors Gabriella Pridjian, Xiong Xu and Pierre Buekens of Tulane Univeristy and Louisiana State University dental health researcher Sotirios Vastardis.

The study, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is the first to demonstrate a link between poor oral health and diabetes during pregnancy.

Periodontal disease is a chronic infection of the gums and mouth. Gestational diabetes is an inability to process dietary sugars normally during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes puts women and their babies at increased risk of injury and illness.

Based on their analysis, the researchers recommend that dental care during pregnancy should be considered as a way to help prevent gestational diabetes.