Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the effects of pulpal inflammation on pregnant rats. This type of oral inflammation has not been studied in pregnant animals and should yield significant, new information. Methods: Spraque-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: pregnant rats with induced pulpal inflammation (n=16) and sham-operated control pregnant rats (n=16). The pulps of the first and second maxillary right molars were exposed using a ¼ round burr. Once bleeding ceased 0.5µl of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was then placed into each pulp chamber. Rats became pregnant two weeks following pulp exposure. Following delivery of the pups, the following samples were collected from the mother: right and left maxillary quadrants of molar teeth, liver, uterine horn, uterine artery, ovary, omentum, and serum. The tissue samples were ground in PBS (10mg/ml) containing a protease inhibitor and biomarkers were determined by ELISA. Data were compared by factorial ANOVA and a post-hoc Tukey test. Results: Rats with pulpal abscesses had significantly higher concentrations of IL-6 (p<0.05) and VEGF (p<0.05) and significantly lower concentrations of IL-10 (p<0.05) within the uterine horn, as compared to controls. Serum TNF-α (p<0.05), serum glucose (p<0.05), and serum insulin concentrations (p<0.05) were significantly higher in the animals with pulpal abscess compared to controls. Conclusion: The increased concentration of IL-6 and VEGF in the uterine horn of the animals with exposed pulps suggests that it had become more vascular and inflamed. The significant increase in serum TNF-α, taken together with significant increases in serum glucose and insulin, suggests that animals with pulp exposures developed insulin resistance and gestational diabetes. Thus, pulpal inflammation during pregnancy could place the mother at risk for gestational diabetes.

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