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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12012856
'Gain a child, lose a tooth' is an old wives' tale, suggesting that along with stretch-marks, backache and swollen feet, tooth loss is also a natural side effect of pregnancy.
Now it seems that there may be some truth to this tale, with new research out this week finding women with larger families are more likely to have fewer teeth.
The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, looked at data from over 120,000 adults aged over 50 living in Europe and Israel.
Using a statistical analysis technique known as "instrumental variables regression", which mimics a randomised control trial, the researchers found women who had three children tended to have four fewer teeth than women who only had two children. The number of teeth the fathers had did not correlate to the number of children they had, implying having children is only detrimental to the mouth of a mother.
This study ties in well with previous studies that link pregnancy to dental problems. A 2005 study from the International Association for Dental Research looked at more than 2000 pregnant women and found that as the number of children they had increased, so did their risk of periodontal or gum disease, missing teeth and untreated cavities.
From a biological perspective there are many reasons why pregnancy could negatively affect oral health.
Developing babies require a significant amount of calcium to help form their growing skeletons. Some is taken from the mother's calcium stores during pregnancy, most of which is in her bones and teeth.
Pregnancy hormones including calcitriol and parathyroid can also interfere with the absorption of calcium, which may leave the teeth and bones of the mother vulnerable if she isn't ingesting enough calcium from her food.
Pregnancy also seems to increase the occurrence of gum inflammation[...]
Click link at the beginning for the full article at the New Zealand Hearld.
'Gain a child, lose a tooth' is an old wives' tale, suggesting that along with stretch-marks, backache and swollen feet, tooth loss is also a natural side effect of pregnancy.
Now it seems that there may be some truth to this tale, with new research out this week finding women with larger families are more likely to have fewer teeth.
The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, looked at data from over 120,000 adults aged over 50 living in Europe and Israel.
Using a statistical analysis technique known as "instrumental variables regression", which mimics a randomised control trial, the researchers found women who had three children tended to have four fewer teeth than women who only had two children. The number of teeth the fathers had did not correlate to the number of children they had, implying having children is only detrimental to the mouth of a mother.
This study ties in well with previous studies that link pregnancy to dental problems. A 2005 study from the International Association for Dental Research looked at more than 2000 pregnant women and found that as the number of children they had increased, so did their risk of periodontal or gum disease, missing teeth and untreated cavities.
From a biological perspective there are many reasons why pregnancy could negatively affect oral health.
Developing babies require a significant amount of calcium to help form their growing skeletons. Some is taken from the mother's calcium stores during pregnancy, most of which is in her bones and teeth.
Pregnancy hormones including calcitriol and parathyroid can also interfere with the absorption of calcium, which may leave the teeth and bones of the mother vulnerable if she isn't ingesting enough calcium from her food.
Pregnancy also seems to increase the occurrence of gum inflammation[...]
Click link at the beginning for the full article at the New Zealand Hearld.
