Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31051120›Full record

ReviewAmerican journal of obstetrics and gynecology2019

Placental colonization with periodontal pathogens: the potential missing link.

Lori A Fischer, Ellen Demerath, Peter Bittner-Eddy, Massimo Costalonga

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
6.7field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 66 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. [Age-Related Changes in the Oral Microbiota].Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Gut-X axis.iMeta · 2025
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Observational
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Armed to the Teeth-The Oral Mucosa Immunity System and Microbiota.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022
    Review
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Lori A FischerDivision of Periodontology, Department of Developmental and Surgical Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN.
Ellen DemerathDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN.
Peter Bittner-EddyDivision of Periodontology, Department of Developmental and Surgical Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN.
Massimo CostalongaDivision of Periodontology, Department of Developmental and Surgical Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN. Electronic address: costa002@umn.edu.
University of Minnesota · US

Funding

P. gingivalis-specific T cells in mice prone and resistant to periodontitisR21DE022858 · NIDCR · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI COSTALONGA, MASSIMO · 2013 to 2014
$418k
Gingival Langerhans cells regulate plasticity of P. gingivalis-specific T cellsR21DE026209 · NIDCR · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI COSTALONGA, MASSIMO · 2016 to 2017
$409k
NIDCR NIH HHS R21 DE022858NIDCR NIH HHS R21 DE026209
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Observational studies demonstrate that women with severe periodontitis have a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes like preterm birth and low birthweight. Standard treatment for periodontitis in the form of scaling and root planing during the second trimester failed to reduce the risk of preterm or low birthweight. It is premature to dismiss the association between periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes because one explanation for the failure of scaling and root planing to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes is that periodontal pathogens spread to the placental tissue prior to periodontal treatment. In the placenta, orally derived organisms could cause direct tissue damage or mediate a maternal immune response that impairs the growth of the developing fetus. Sequencing studies demonstrate the presence of organisms derived from the oral microbiome in the placenta, but DNA-based sequencing studies should not be the only technique to evaluate the placental microbiome because they may not detect important shifts in the metabolic capability of the microbiome. In humans, polymerase chain reaction and histology have detected periodontal pathogens in placental tissue in association with multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes. We conclude that both placental and oral microbiomes may play a role in periodontitis-associated adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the measure to determine the association between periodontal pathogens in the placenta and adverse pregnancy outcomes should be the amount and prevalence, not the mere presence of such microorganisms. Placental colonization with periodontal pathogens thus potentially represents the missing link between periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Indexed as

Dental ScalingFemaleFluorescent Antibody TechniqueHumansImmunohistochemistryInfantInfant MortalityMicrobiotaPeriodontitisPlacentaPolymerase Chain ReactionPregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsRisk FactorsRoot Planingadverse pregnancy outcomeslow birthweightperiodontitispreterm birth

Identifiers

PMID31051120
PMCPMC6821581
OpenAlexW2943806249

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.