In plain words
Pregnancy gingivitis is inflammation of the gums that is common during pregnancy. The gums may look red and puffy, feel tender, and bleed when you brush or floss. The cause is partly hormonal. Hormone changes make the gum tissue more blood-rich and more reactive to the bacteria in plaque. So the same amount of plaque that did not bother your gums before can now cause swelling. It usually starts in the second trimester and often improves after birth. Good brushing and flossing help, and a dental cleaning is safe in pregnancy. that goes untreated can get worse, and researchers have studied links with pregnancy outcomes, though the evidence is not settled. Dental teams ask about pregnancy because it changes gum care.
The deeper version
Pregnancy gingivitis reflects increased gingival vascularity, vascular permeability, and tissue edema under progesterone and estrogen, with an exaggerated inflammatory response to plaque. Progesterone also alters local immune function, including neutrophil chemotaxis and cytokine release, and serves as a growth substrate for , which increases in subgingival plaque in the second and third trimesters. Prevalence of gingival inflammation rises across pregnancy in cohort studies, with as a localized complication. ACOG Committee Opinion 569 (2013) states that dental care is safe in pregnancy and that periodontal disease should be treated. The main controversy is whether periodontal treatment during pregnancy reduces preterm birth, where trial evidence has been mixed.
Where it comes up
- Dental care in pregnancyPregnancy: Your Body
- Bleeding gums and nosebleedsPregnancy: Your Body
- Pregnancy at 35 and olderPregnancy: Your Body
- Short cervix and signs of preterm laborPregnancy: Your Body
What mothers here say about pregnancy gingivitis
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Committee Opinion 569: Oral Health Care During Pregnancy and Through the Lifespan (2013)
- Silness J, Loe H — Periodontal disease in pregnancy. Acta Odontologica Scandinavica (1964)