Pro-inflammatory Cytokines may Associate Periodontitis with Pregnancy Complications: A Short Review

Periodontitis is an oral inflammatory disease possessing detrimental impacts on supporting tissue of teeth (like gingiva, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone) and involves a great number of individuals all over the world. One of the appropriate ways to prevent this disease is to find related risk factors. According to reports, pregnancy complications can be associated with this oral disease; however, the possible mechanisms linking these two conditions have not been exactly determined. Hence, in this review, we summarize documents related to pregnancy complications and periodontitis with a mechanistic insight. Literature on the relevant topic was searched from scientific databases, including Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed, in English, between 1996 and 2022. Based on reports, pregnancy complications (premature labor, low weight at birth, and preeclampsia) can be related to periodontitis. This linkage can be mediated by inflammatory reactions, one of the main pathogenic mechanisms in periodontitis. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, have the ability to induce labor and fetal toxicity and finally create preterm labor and low weight at birth. Besides, these cytokines can potentiate chronic inflammatory responses in the fetal-maternal interface, impair placentation, and create endothelial dysfunction. It seems that pro-inflammatory reactions, like secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, can be a bridge for associating periodontitis and pregnancy complications. However, more studies with larger sample sizes are needed to support these findings.