Oral Health may affect Women’s chances of Conceiving
A recent report has found that women with poor dental health, particularly unhealthy gums, have a decreased chance of successfully conceiving.
Doctors have announced that poor oral health can be as damaging to fertility as obesity, and advise that those trying to conceive ensure they regularly floss to increase their chances.
A recent meeting of experts in Sweden focusing on fertility and influential factors have been told how females with poor oral health and gum disease are likely to take more than seven months, as opposed to the normal five months, to conceive a child and have come to the conclusion that the main reason is inflammation.
While there may not be an obvious direct link between oral health and fertility, poor oral health which often leads to gum disease, can act as a domino effect to dangerous reactions within the body that can lead to an upset in the natural bodily workings.
Another recent report indirectly linked poor oral health in men to erectile dysfunction, and Australian experts now think periodontal disease could also affect fertility rates.
Gum disease has also been connected in the past with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, miscarriage and poor sperm count in men.
The study conducted at the University of Western Australia looked at over 3,500 women and found individuals with gum disease had a much higher chance of inflammation, the proposed reason for low fertility rates at the Swedish meeting.
The lead researcher of the study, Professor Roger Hart has stated the optimism and excitement felt at what the study highlights: “Until now, there have been no published studies that investigate whether gum disease can affect a woman’s chance of conceiving, so this is the first report to suggest that gum disease might be one of several factors that could be modified to improve the chances of a pregnancy.”
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