Periodontal Diseases - A Review on the Association between Maternal Periodontitis and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome

Several prospective clinical trials have indicated an association between maternal periodontal status and adverse pregnancy outcome, e. g., low birth weight, pre-term birth and pre-eclampsia. However, the translation of these findings into clinical care and decision making is still a matter of debate. Gynecologists and obstetricians are usually not very familiar with periodontal diseases and do not always consider this pathology in routine preconception counselling. This article outlines the clinical pictures of the most common periodontal diseases and thus helps the gynecologists to identify patients with periodontal diseases.