Oral Health - Fertility and Pregnancy, and why it matters
Oral Health Fertility and Pregnancy- Why it Matters.
Did you know that the health of your teeth, gums, tongue, and the microbiome (bacteria that live in your mouth) can play a significant role in your health and fertility? Let’s talk about why.
What is oral health?
Your oral health is the condition of your mouth, teeth, and oral microbiome (bacteria that live in your mouth). Other factors related to your dental history, such as fillings and a history of root canals, can greatly affect your reproductive and overall health. Think about your body from a top to bottom perspective. The mouth is the beginning of a tube of transport that carries air, food, water, bacteria, and nutrients into the whole physical system. The health of our teeth, gums, and the bacteria that live inside the mouth are just as important as what we put into our mouth. Everything that lives in our mouth, or goes into it, will have an effect on the health of everything south of it.
The links between oral health, the mouth, and reproductive health.
Oral diseases such as periodontal disease, also called gum disease (an infection of the gums that hold your teeth in place), and dental caries (tooth decay) can lead to a variety of health problems. The link between overall health and the mouth is widely researched. The mouth is a major contributing factor in regard to increasing your risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, diabetes, and many other serious conditions.
Infertility involves both male and female factors. It is believed that 40-50% of infertility cases are related to male infertility factors, so it would make a lot of sense that the oral health of both partners at the time of conception impacts the chances and the outcomes of fertility. Treating oral diseases in men can reduce oxidative stress, bacteria in the sperm, and inflammatory markers that contribute to infertility. The treatment of oral diseases in women can enhance female reproductive health by improving egg quality, ovulation, and reducing the risk of miscarriage. Some research shows a correlation between periodontal disease and the amount of time a woman took trying to conceive. This means that women who have a healthy mouth take less time to get pregnant than those who do not have good oral hygiene.
It's important to understand that the microbiome of the mouth and oral diseases impact both male and female infertility through the process of systemic inflammation pathways (inflammation throughout the body). This inflammatory process is what directly affects reproductive health. Cytokines are a vital part of the immune response, but when the body is constantly exposed to infection, such as periodontal disease, it affects almost all components of reproduction. It has been believed that periodontal disease can be a contributing factor to preterm birth, pregnancy loss, and low-birth weight babies. The research is clear that there is an insignificant link between treatment of periodontal disease and the outcomes explained above during pregnancy. However, we see a lot of research that the treatment of periodontal disease prior to conception not only decreases the chances of infertility and subfertility, but greatly improves pregnancy outcomes.
Another important factor to consider is a history of mouth injuries, root canals, and even the removal of wisdom teeth and how these occurrences can impact fertility.
Remember that infections in the mouth can create an immune response that directly impacts inflammation. Addressing masked infections that can be hidden in the face, mouth and jaw from previous dental work or mouth injuries should be addressed, or at least considered, when working with someone who is trying to conceive or is struggling with infertility. These masked infections often exist without the range of typical symptoms we would think of such as tooth pain. Instead, they result in chronic sinus infections, sleep apnea, snoring, chronic headaches or migraines, breathing issues, and chronic immune system overload.
Amalgam fillings (metal fillings) can overload the body with mercury and create heavy metal toxicity. Symptoms such as breathing problems, numbness and tingling, lack of concentration, infertility, slow fetal development, miscarriage, and many other indicators can not only interfere with reproductive health, but can be passed through the placenta. Detectable levels of heavy metal toxicity can be found in cord blood and the baby itself after birth has occurred. Mercury has a high affinity to sperm and some essential minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and selenium that are essential in sperm health and motility. Mercury can accumulate in the hypothalamus and pituitary, which are the control centers for hormone release. In women, high levels of mercury are known to be a risk factor for miscarriage and perinatal mortality. The bottom line with amalgam fillings is, get them removed before you conceive if possible. Make sure that you have them removed by someone certified in SAFE removal in order to limit exposure. In addition, allow some time to pass in order for your body to chelate and get rid of the excess metals.
What to do - next steps.
Find a functional or biological dentist in your area. What is a functional or biological dentist? They are dentists who have completed additional training which prompts them to consider the root-cause of dental and oral health issues, and other specific conditions. In addition, these dentists focus on discussing a patient's diet and lifestyle factors, and explore their contribution to oral and overall health. They are often well versed in alternative treatment options that will help ensure a healthy microbiome, oral PH, and good systemic health. If you can not find a functional or biological dentist who is local, there are some who you might be able to see virtually. However, it is important to consider that travel might be necessary. You can also work with a functional or biological dentist while continuing regular care with your general dentist. You have options. Surround yourself with providers that look at your whole body and overall health when considering medical advice.
Conception and infertility information can feel overwhelming. Try to focus on what you can do and pick one place to start. Oral health is a great place to begin. I hope this information reminds you that you can be your biggest advocate, and provides you with hope that there are so many factors that can contribute to infertility. Fertility is not simple, which gives you a lot of opportunity to turn things around. Your journey is just beginning, and I am here to help!
I am not a dental professional and this is not medical advice. Please talk to your provider and dental professionals for more information. This article presents educational information only. Check out my blog for more information regarding good oral hygiene practices that can help with overall reproductive health, how to take care of your mouth during pregnancy, and how oral health impacts pregnancy and the health of an unborn child.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31136080/. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8812457/. https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:989931cf-f04c-49b8-b754-8ee092390ad3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38316638/#:~:text=Among%20pregnant%20women%20with%20amalgams%2C%20it%20was%20estimated%20that%20the,%C2%B5g%20of%20Hg%2FKg%20bodyweight.
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/08/oral-health-care-during-pregnancy-and-through-the-lifespan. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9500491/. https://www.peertechzpublications.org/articles/GJFR-1-103.php#:~:text=As%20periodontitis%20causes%20a%20systemic,of%20the%20embryo%20or%20not
