Oral health status related to subgingival bacterial flora and sex hormones in saliva during pregnancy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate oral health status in relation to subgingival microflora and sex hormone concentrations in saliva during pregnancy. Oral health examinations were performed on 39 subjects: of 19 pregnant women (mean age 28.5), and 8 women in the fifth post-partum month (mean age 27.1), and 12 non-pregnant women (mean age 22.9). Periodontal conditions of bleeding on probing, redness, swelling, and probing depth were examined. Subgingival microbial compositions were examined with several selective media. Concentrations of estradiol and progesterone in saliva were determined during pregnancy and the first post-partum month. From the third to the fifth month of pregnancy, the number of gingival sites where probing caused bleeding increased concomitantly with increasing percentages of Prevotella intermedia. The number of gingival sites with redness and swelling increased in the fourth and seventh months of pregnancy and decreased in the last month of pregnancy to the level of the second month. The gingival inflammatory signs, however, tended to increase in the first post-partum month. The probing depth of gingiva gradually increased during pregnancy and the first post-partum month. Percentage of P. intermedia increased in the fourth month of pregnancy with increasing of hormones in saliva. The concentrations of hormones in saliva attained peaks in the ninth month of pregnancy. Thereafter, proportion of P. intermedia decreased. As a further step, these pregnant women were divided into three groups on the bases of percentages and detectable rates of P. intermedia. Gingival inflammation was more extensive in the high group subjects in which more than 15% P. intermedia in total CFU was detected; its severity also tended to increase.