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Effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy and strict plaque control on preterm/low birth weight: a randomized controlled clinical trial

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Abstract

Objective

This randomized controlled clinical trial was carried out to assess the effect of comprehensive nonsurgical periodontal treatment and strict plaque control performed during pregnancy on the reduction of preterm and/or low birth weight rates (PTLBW).

Material and methods

Three hundred and three women were randomly allocated to receive periodontal treatment either during pregnancy (n = 147, test group) or after delivery (n = 156, control group). During pregnancy, the control group received only one session of supragingival scaling and oral hygiene instruction. In contrast, the test group received comprehensive periodontal treatment including multiple sessions of scaling and root planing, oral hygiene instructions, and frequent maintenance visits.

Results

At baseline, periodontal inflammation was observed in approximately 50% of sites and attachment loss affected <15% of sites. Compared to controls, women in the test group had significant reductions in the percentage of sites with plaque (48.5% vs. 10.3%, p < 0.001), gingival bleeding (23.3% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001), calculus (21.3% vs. 4.1%, p < 0.001), bleeding on probing (38.1% vs. 2.6%, p < 0.001) and probing depth ≥3 mm (19.97% vs. −2.45%, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed between the groups in the occurrence of PT (11.7% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.57), LBW (5.6 % vs. 4.1%, p = 0.59), and PTLBW (4.15% vs. 2.60%, p = 0.53).

Conclusions

Comprehensive periodontal treatment and strict plaque control significantly improved periodontal health; however, no reduction of PTLBW rates was observed. Thus, remaining periodontal inflammation posttreatment cannot explain the lack of effect of periodontal treatment on PTLBW.

Clinical relevance

This study demonstrated that periodontal diseases may be successfully treated during pregnancy. Our results do not support a potential beneficial effect of periodontal treatment on PTLBW.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by the National Council of Research—Brazil (grant CNPq-403099) and by the Department of Periodontology, University of Oslo, Norway.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2492, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, 90035-003

    Patricia Weidlich, Carlos Heitor C. Moreira, Tiago Fiorini, Marta L. Musskopf, José M. da Rocha, Cassiano K. Rösing & Rui V. Oppermann

  2. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Maria Lucia R. Oppermann

  3. Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Anne M. Aass & Per Gjermo

  4. Departments of Periodontics and Oral Biology, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA, USA

    Cristiano Susin

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  1. Patricia Weidlich
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Correspondence to Patricia Weidlich.

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Weidlich, P., Moreira, C.H.C., Fiorini, T. et al. Effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy and strict plaque control on preterm/low birth weight: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Clin Oral Invest 17, 37–44 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-012-0679-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-012-0679-3

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