title: Another reason for impeccable oral hygiene: oral hygiene-sperm count link.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  1. To investigate the relationship between periodontitis and infertility. 2. To evaluate the importance of oral hygiene to general health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six men requiring seminal fluid analysis as part of an on-going investigation for infertility in their spouses were serially recruited into the study. Basic dental and periodontal examination were performed. Each participant was also screened for periodontitis using a lateral flow immunoassay kit which detected levels of active membrane metalloproteinase-8. RESULTS were read-off as a color change. Due to some incomplete entries, only 76 participants were involved in the final data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 55 subjects with subnormal counts (of which ten were found to be azoospermic, 41 oligospermic) and 25 normospermic controls. A positive association was found between periodontitis and subnormal sperm count in only one age group but statistically significant association was found between poor oral hygiene and subnormal sperm count across all age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the first time, there appears to be a significant association between poor oral and subnormal sperm count. There also appears to an association between chronic periodontitis and subnormal sperm count. These relationships warrant further investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There appears to be a link between poor oral hygiene and low sperm count.
authors.affiliation: Senior Consultant, Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria, e-mail: periodontologist2010@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Solomon Olusegun
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Nwhator
authors.affiliation: Lecturer and Consultant, Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Lagos Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Kehinde A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Umeizudike
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer and Consultant, Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Lagos Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Patricia O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ayanbadejo
authors.affiliation: Lecturer and Consultant, Department of Periodontology and Community Dentistry University of Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olanrewaju I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Opeodu
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Olamijulo
authors.affiliation: Professor and Chief Physician, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sorsa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000150:complications; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000150:complications; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000145:classification*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C488762:MMP8 protein, human; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8