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The subgingival microbial flora during pregnancy
Author(s) -
Kornman Kenneth S.,
Loesche Walter J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of periodontal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0765
pISSN - 0022-3484
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1980.tb00265.x
Subject(s) - gingivitis , bacteroides , periodontitis , pregnancy , flora (microbiology) , dental plaque , biology , anaerobic bacteria , physiology , bleeding on probing , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , bacteria , dentistry , genetics
The subgingival bacterial flora from 2 gingival sites was cultured and characterized monthly in twenty periodontitis‐free women during pregnancy and again post‐partum. Monthly plaque samples were also cultured in eleven age and disease matched non‐pregnant women. Plaque was processed anaerobically on selective and nonselective media and the predominant colony types were characterized. A portion of each plaque sample was tested for bacterial uptake of C 14 ‐estradiol and C 14 ‐progesterone. Plasma levels of estrogens and progesterone were measured four times in each subject. The number of gingival bleeding sites, the Gingival Index and the Plaque Index were determined at each sampling period. In the second trimester there was a significant increase in gingivitis, the ratio of anaerobic to aerobic bacteria, and the proportional levels of Bacteroides melaninogenicus ss. intermedius. In the third trimester both gingivitis and the levels of B. melaninogenicus ss. intermedius decreased. Plaque uptake of C 14 ‐steroids increased significantly during pregnancy and paralleled the plaque levels of B. melaninogenicus ss. intermedius. In the second trimester, recovery of B. melaninogenicus ss. intermedius was strongly correlated with plasma levels of estrogens and progesterone. No changes were observed in clinical parameters or the subgingival flora of non‐pregnant subjects. Pregnancy and specifically steroid hormones appear capable of influencing the normal bacterial flora and inducing alterations in the subgingival ecology.