Oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, and pathogens in preeclampsia: a case-control study in Korea

Background: The aim of this study is to confirm the association among oral health behaviors, periodontitis, and preeclampsia in Korean women. Methods: This study is designed as a case‐control study. Sixteen women with preeclampsia and 48 without preeclampsia post‐delivery were included in this study from November 2007 to January 2010. Information was collected on demographics, health behaviors, and obstetric and systemic diseases that may influence the periodontal condition and preeclampsia. Full‐mouth periodontal probing was conducted by one trained examiner (KHB). Localized periodontitis was defined as periodontal clinical attachment loss (AL) ≥3.5 mm on two or three sites not on the same tooth. In addition, generalized periodontitis was defined as clinical AL ≥3.5 mm on ≥4 sites not on the same tooth. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected using a sterilized paper point for quantitative analysis of Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia (Pi), and Tannerella forsythia (previously T. forsythensis). Results: After adjusting for confounders, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 4.79 (95% confidence interval CI]: 1.02 to 29.72) for localized periodontitis and 6.60 (95% CI: 1.25 to 41.61) for generalized periodontitis. In addition, the proportion of floss or interdental brush users in women with preeclampsia was lower than that in women without (adjusted OR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.93). Pi was significantly more prevalent in women with preeclampsia (P = 0.028). Conclusion: These results indicate that preeclampsia could be associated with the maternal periodontal condition and interdental cleaning.