What Other Problems Are Associated With Periodontitis?
One of the most distressing problems is pre-term birth, which is the primary cause of birth defects, including loss of vision or hearing, developmental delay, and cerebral palsy. Pregnant women with periodontitis are approximately 7-8 times more likely to experience a pre-term birth. Gum disease is also closely associated with diabetes. These two problems can be difficult to resolve, because both diabetes and pregnancy are known to contribute to gum disease. Therefore, these problems can become self-reinforcing. Periodontal disease is also linked to obesity, lung infection (especially pneumonia), osteoporosis, premature wrinkling, and sometimes sexual dysfunction. Most of these problems, like almost all health problems, have numerous contributory factors, but their links to periodontal disease are just as strong as the links to other primary risk factors, including smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and high cholesterol.
