Pregnant women suffer unusually high levels of gum disease. This is thought to be due to their raised hormone levels, which aggravate and inflame gum tissue, but return to normal after the birth.

Periodontology expert Mena Soory* wondered whether oral contraceptives might have the same effect and carried out a study of 49 women in Sri Lanka. She found not only that the gum disease gingivitis was 32% more common in the women taking the Pill, but also that they had fractionally wider gaps between their teeth (too small to cause real concern). Mena also found that higher plaque levels increased the severity of the symptoms, suggesting a reaction between the presence of oestrogen/progesterone and the plaque.

She recommends strict dental hygiene for Pill users: brushing twice a day and flossing before bed.

* from Guy's, King's and St. Thomas' Dental Institute, London