title: Maternal dental history, child's birth outcome and early cognitive development.
abstract: Prenatal exposure to high levels of mercury, radiation and inflammation have been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes such as increases in preterm delivery, low birthweight and delayed neurodevelopment. Few data are available to evaluate the potential effects of prenatal low-level exposure to these factors as may occur during dental care. We evaluated maternal dental history prior to and during pregnancy in relation to birth outcomes and early communicative development among offspring in a large cohort (n = 7375) of British children born in 1991-92. Dental history was assessed by questionnaire. The child's communicative development was assessed using the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory at 15 months of age. Total mercury was measured in umbilical cord tissue for a subset of the children. Overall, dental care, including amalgam fillings, was not associated with birth outcomes or language development. Having X-rays taken during pregnancy was not associated with birthweight measured continuously (b = 14.7, P = 0.4), but was associated with slightly increased odds of having a term, low-birthweight baby (OR 1.9, [95% confidence interval 1.0, 3.4]). More detailed evaluation of the potential adverse effects of elective dental treatment during pregnancy, particularly dental X-rays, may be warranted.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. juliedaniels@unc.edu
authors: Julie L
authors: JL
authors: Daniels
authors: Andrew S
authors: AS
authors: Rowland
authors: Matthew P
authors: MP
authors: Longnecker
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Crawford
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Golding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003723:Dental Amalgam
references: Lancet. 1972 Oct 14;2(7781):784-7
references: 4116229
references: Br Dent J. 2001 Nov 24;191(10):570-3
references: 11767859
references: J Clin Oncol. 2002 May 15;20(10):2506-13
references: 12011129
references: N Engl J Med. 2003 Oct 30;349(18):1731-7
references: 14585942
references: J Dent Hyg. 1991 Mar-Apr;65(3):146-50
references: 1856751
references: Reprod Toxicol. 2005 May-Jun;20(1):3-4
references: 15808780
references: Prog Neurobiol. 1989;32(6):447-70
references: 2664880
references: Occup Environ Med. 1994 Jan;51(1):28-34
references: 8124459
references: J S C Med Assoc. 1996 Jul;92(7):321-2
references: 8764497
references: Scand J Work Environ Health. 1985 Feb;11(1):33-7
references: 3992219
references: Biol Trace Elem Res. 2001 Jul;81(1):1-19
references: 11508328
references: Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1991;63(3):161-7
references: 1917065
references: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2004 Apr 1;58(5):1364-8
references: 15050311
references: Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 1997;34(4):369-403
references: 9288445
references: Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2005 Feb;271(2):138-42
references: 14689312
references: Am J Epidemiol. 2005 Apr 15;161(8):734-40
references: 15800265
references: Eur J Oral Sci. 2006 Feb;114(1):2-7
references: 16460334
references: JAMA. 2004 Apr 28;291(16):1987-93
references: 15113817
references: J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1978 Nov-Dec;37(6):719-33
references: 739273
references: Fundam Appl Toxicol. 1992 Oct;19(3):319-29
references: 1360929
references: Epidemiology. 1999 Mar;10(2):202-3
references: 10069262
references: Arch Dis Child. 1987 Mar;62(3):293-5
references: 3566322
references: J Clin Periodontol. 2005 May;32(5):492-8
references: 15842265
references: Toxicology. 2003 Mar 14;185(1-2):23-33
references: 12505442
references: Epidemiology. 2004 Jul;15(4):394-402
references: 15232398
references: Pediatrics. 2004 Apr;113(4 Suppl):1023-9
references: 15060195
references: Women Health. 1993;20(2):21-30
references: 8372477
references: Acta Neuropathol. 1988;75(4):325-30
references: 3364157
references: Child Dev. 2000 Mar-Apr;71(2):310-22
references: 10834466
references: Science. 1973 Jul 20;181(4096):230-41
references: 4719063
references: J Am Dent Assoc. 2001 Jul;132(7):1009-16
references: 11480627
references: BJOG. 2003 Mar;110(3):287-91
references: 12628269
references: Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2001 Jan;15(1):74-87
references: 11237119
references: J Periodontol. 2004 Jan;75(1):116-26
references: 15025223
references: Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1982;50(1):77-93
references: 7085088
references: Occup Environ Med. 2002 May;59(5):285-6
references: 11983842
references: J Clin Periodontol. 2003 Nov;30(11):949-53
references: 14761116
references: Pediatrics. 2001 Jul;108(1):197-205
references: 11433078
references: Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002 Oct;187(4):1070-80
references: 12389007
references: JAMA. 2004 Sep 1;292(9):1020; author reply 1020-1
references: 15339889
references: J Periodontol. 2003 Dec;74(12):1764-70
references: 14974817
references: Tohoku J Exp Med. 2002 Feb;196(2):79-88
references: 12498319
references: Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Feb;110 Suppl 1:11-23
references: 11834460
references: Neurotoxicology. 1996 Fall-Winter;17(3-4):583-96
references: 9086479
references: Epidemiology. 2000 Mar;11(2):161-6
references: 11021613