Is tooth decay linked to preterm births?

Recent studies have sought to establish a correlation between periodontal health and the risk of preterm birth, with mixed results.

Now a new study in Acta Odontologia Scandinavica considers whether there is an association between maternal dental caries and preterm birth, with a particular focus on the infection-suspected causes of preterm births (March 7, 2011).

A secondary analysis was performed on data from the EPIPAP study, a French multicenter case-control study. The cases included 1,107 women who gave birth to a live-born infant before 37 weeks of gestation; controls were 1,094 women delivering at 37 weeks or more. A full-mouth dental examination was performed after delivery to determine the presence of decay on at least one tooth.

Initially, the researchers found a "significant association" between the presence of tooth decay and preterm birth (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21). However, after adjusting for potential confounders (four preterm birth risk factors and four social characteristics), periodontitis status, and interexaminer variability, tooth decay was not significantly associated with preterm birth (adjusted OR = 1.10)

"This study failed to demonstrate a significant association between tooth decay and preterm birth," the researchers noted. "However, future well-designed studies are needed to further assess the link between dental caries and adverse pregnancy outcomes."