Study Shows Link Between Injectable Progesterone Contraceptives and Periodontal Health

Study Shows Link Between Injectable Progesterone Contraceptives and Periodontal Health 

Women from 15 to 44 years of age who use or have used injectable progesterone contraceptives are at increased risk of periodontal diseases, according to a study published the Journal of Periodontology’s February issue. Led by L. Susan Taichman, RDH, MPD, PhD, of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, researchers investigated a link between the use of depotmedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA)—a long-lasting progestin contraceptive administered via injection every 3 months—and the prevalence of periodontal diseases.  

To compile data, the team pulled health records of 4,460 American women from the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Studies, and looked for present or past DMPA usage and periodontal status data. Each participant met the same criteria: nonpregnant woman between 15 and 44 who had provided complete DMPA usage and undergone a dental examination to note clinical attachment loss, periodontal pocket assessment, and presence of gingival bleeding.  

After adjusting the data for age, race, education, income level, and smoking, researchers found that current DMPA users (4.1%) were more likely to have gingivitis, while former DMPA users (12.0%) were more likely to have periodontitis. Clinical signs of gingivitis were also present in 53.9% of women who currently use or have used DMPA in the past vs just 46.1% for those who had never used the progestin injectable contraceptive.  

Although a link between DMPA and periodontal disease is clear, researchers believe further studies are needed because DMPA is widely used among low-income populations that historically exhibit less-than-optimum levels of oral health.