The book “Compendium of dental pathology in pregnancy,” which addresses an interdisciplinary topic, is a novelty in the specialized journalistic landscape, resulting from a group of authors from the Faculty of Dentistry, UMF “Carol Davila” Bucharest.
The concept was to bring to the fore the dental problems of the pregnant woman, the book contributing to the exhaustive exposition of some important theoretical and practical information.
The publication at the Carol Davila University Publishing House under the editorship of Dr. Valentin Varlas, head of works, represents its intrinsic value a materialization of a concept, addressed to both students and graduates of the Faculty of Dentistry.
As the title suggests, this book is an essential part of the main dental conditions encountered in pregnancy, comprising a series of chapters that covered a field as extensive as the subject.
Several doctors with experience in the field have contributed to the elaboration of this book, with the well-defined aim of sharing from their professional experience some of the knowledge necessary both for the rapid elaboration of a clinical and paraclinical diagnosis and for the establishment of customized therapeutic conduct. .
The management algorithm of any dental condition is often the touchstone, mainly at the beginning of our career as doctors in a modern pathology segment, such as dental conditions in pregnancy.
In the introduction of the treaty, structured in 12 chapters, the general notions are presented regarding the main adaptive changes in the task. Chapter 2 defines the concept of oral health, and a series of recommendations addressed to pregnant women regarding the proper oral hygiene of both mothers and newborns. The following chapters address the role of the oral microbiome in odonto / periodontal pathology, the hormonal and immunological changes encountered in the oral cavity during pregnancy, as well as the oral changes in pregnancy. Chapters 7 and 8 refer to periodontal disease and pyogenic pregnancy granuloma with a broad description of the etiopathogenesis, histological changes, symptoms dependent on topography and severity of lesions, and therapeutic behavior. Chapter 9 sets out the need for radiological examination of the pregnant woman’s dental sphere about the periods of pregnancy and the practical recommendations for doctors and patients. Particular importance was given to substances used in dental practice in pregnant women concerning the use of antibiotics and analgesia and anesthesia techniques in dental practice. Chapter 11 presents in detail the conduct in medical emergencies that occurred in the pregnant patient during the dental/surgical treatment oro-maxillo-facial, analyzing the optimal time to establish the dental intervention and the management of stress and pain during dental treatment. The last chapter focuses on the role played by pregnant women nutrition in oral pathology, with significant clinical consequences for overweight and during pregnancy, and recommendations for diet and fluid intake during pregnancy.
Pregnancy is characterized by numerous transient hormonal and metabolic changes, which will cause a morpho-functional adaptation in the oro-dental cavity. Oral pathology that occurs during pregnancy is a topic that has long been debated and studied in recent decades, as many aspects have remained unexplained despite scientific progress. However, there has been increased importance of oral pathology in pregnancy in recent years due to the major influences on the mother-fetus couple.
Multiple clinical observations that emerge from medical practice have drawn attention to the importance of the oral cavity physiology in pregnancy and the incidence of oral pathology associated with pregnancy. The clinical picture in pregnant women varies from simple gingivitis to more extensive pathologies, including chronic marginal periodontitis, simple and complicated polycaries, ulcers, herpes, canker sores, and gingival hyperplasia.
The dental interventions necessary to ensure the comfort and safety of the pregnant woman during pregnancy must be carried out in complete safety. The expectant attitude in pregnant women is wrong, as it is known that pain, difficulty eating, insomnia can aggravate oral pathology with major repercussions on especially fetal status (intrauterine growth restrictions, premature birth, premature rupture of membranes). On the other hand, the major discomfort of the pregnant woman should not be neglected either.
The paper does not aim to fully clarify such a sensitive subject, but only to synchronize the knowledge to the discoveries made in this field.
Based on a recent bibliography, the book addresses a topical issue and is an essence of the literature combined with the long experience of the authors on the management of dental conditions encountered in the population of pregnant women in Romania.
The oral health of pregnant women is a major public health issue, a concern of public health services and specialists worldwide. In conclusion, the work “Compendium of dental pathology in pregnancy” is a valuable guide in theoretical and practical training, a multidisciplinary approach to oral health in pregnancy, a goal that will need to work with physicians in various fields: obstetricians, dentists, neonatologists, endocrinologists, microbiologists, sociologists, etc.
