Successful treatment of periodontal disease lowered preterm birth incidences

Pregnant subjects between 6 and 20 weeks gestation (using standard pregnancy dating criteria) were eligible for screening and enrollment. Eight hundred and seventy-two subjects with and without periodontal disease were followed. One hundred and sixty subjects with periodontal disease were treated with scaling and root planing. Subjects received periodontal examinations before and after scaling and root planing. Subjects were classified post-hoc according to the results of periodontal treatment: successful treatment (“non-exposure”) or unsuccessful treatment (“exposure”).

Groups were compared using standard bivariate statistics, odds ratios, and logistic regression analysis. Dichotomous outcomes were compared with chi-square where appropriate.

The primary study outcome for this clinical trial was the occurrence of spontaneous preterm birth

This is a summary of abstract # 690, “Risk of Preterm Birth Is Reduced with Successful Periodontal Treatment,” to be presented by M. Jeffcott at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 5, 2010, in room 150A of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, during the 39th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research.

About the American Association for Dental Research

The American Association for Dental Research (AADR), headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit organization with nearly 4,000 members in the United States. Its mission is: (1) to advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health; (2) to support and represent the oral health research community; and (3) to facilitate the communication and application of research findings. AADR is the largest Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).