Medical Bulletin 22/November/2025

Using medical records, the study identified diagnoses of maternal anxiety or depression and analyzed hormone levels in late pregnancy saliva samples. Children underwent periodic dental exams to count erupted primary teeth, focusing notably on the lower central incisors. Over half the participants had socio-economic challenges, and breastfeeding duration was typically under six months, reflecting real-world diversity.

Findings showed that infants of mothers with higher cortisol levels had significantly earlier tooth eruption, with approximately four more teeth present by six months of age compared to infants of mothers with low cortisol. Weak but positive associations between other hormones like estradiol and testosterone with tooth eruption at 12 months were also observed. Interestingly, maternal anxiety or depression diagnoses were not linked to hormone levels or eruption timing, indicating biological rather than psychological stress effects.

These results suggest maternal stress may accelerate biological aging processes, potentially influencing bone and tooth development through complex hormonal interactions. Since early or delayed tooth eruption associates with future dental and developmental health risks, understanding these prenatal influences is crucial.

While correlations were modest and timing varied widely, this work underscores the importance of maternal health and stress management during pregnancy for offspring’s growth trajectory. Future larger studies with diverse populations are needed to validate the findings and clarify mechanisms.

Overall, the study opens new avenues for early identification of infants at risk for developmental issues and highlights maternal hormone regulation as a key factor in shaping early childhood oral health.

REFERENCE: Meng, Y., Yang, R., Alomeir, N., et al. (2025). Prenatal maternal salivary hormones and timing of tooth eruption in early childhood: a prospective birth cohort study. Frontiers in Oral Health. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2025.1663817. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oral-health/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1663817/full

Study Finds Everyday Microplastics Exposure May Lead to Rising Heart Disease Risk

A groundbreaking study from the University of California, Riverside, has revealed alarming evidence that everyday exposure to microplastics—the tiny particles shed from common plastics—may directly contribute to cardiovascular disease.

The findings are published in the journal Environment International.

Microplastics, found in food, water, and air, have already been detected inside human tissues, including atherosclerotic plaques, but whether they cause artery damage remained unclear until now.

Using LDL receptor-deficient mice, a standard model for studying atherosclerosis, researchers administered microplastics daily (10 mg/kg body weight) over nine weeks. This exposure level mimics realistic environmental intake. Both male and female mice were fed a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet to minimize confounding factors. The study combined detailed histology, plaque quantification, and advanced single-cell RNA sequencing to evaluate the impact on arterial cell populations and gene expression.

Results were strikingly sex-specific: male mice exposed to microplastics developed 63% more arterial plaque in the aortic root and a dramatic 624% increase in the brachiocephalic artery, a major vessel supplying the upper body. Female mice under the same conditions showed no significant plaque progression. Importantly, body weight and blood lipid profiles remained unchanged, indicating plaque increases were independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors like obesity or cholesterol.

At the cellular level, microplastics interfered predominantly with endothelial cells lining arteries, which modulate inflammation and blood flow. Microplastics accumulated within plaques and the endothelial layer, activating gene pathways promoting plaque formation in both mice and humans, revealing a conserved harmful response across species.

Lead researcher Dr. Changcheng Zhou noted this study provides powerful evidence that microplastics are not mere bystanders but active contributors to atherosclerosis, especially in males. The observed sex difference, possibly influenced by hormones like estrogen, opens avenues to identify protective mechanisms.

As microplastic pollution escalates globally, understanding these impacts is urgent for human health. Further research will explore effects in humans, different microplastic types, and molecular pathways to guide prevention and treatment strategies against plastic-induced cardiovascular disease.

REFERENCE: Ting-An Lin, Jianfei Pan, Mya Nguyen, Qianyi Ma, Liang Sun, Sijie Tang, Matthew J. Campen, Hong Chen, Changcheng Zhou. Microplastic exposure elicits sex-specific atherosclerosis development in lean low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice. Environment International, 17 Nov 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109938

Chronic pain significantly raises blood pressure risk, study reveals inflammation link

Chronic pain is not just discomfort—it could also raise your risk of developing high blood pressure, a major contributor to heart disease and stroke. A recent large-scale study, published in Hypertension, analyzing health data from over 200,000 adults across the UK Biobank, found that the extent, duration, and location of pain significantly influence this risk.

Researchers categorized pain into short-term, chronic localized (one or more sites), and chronic widespread. They tracked participants' health over an average of 13.5 years, collecting information on pain experiences, depression symptoms, inflammation markers like C-reactive protein, and blood pressure outcomes.

The findings were striking: individuals with chronic widespread pain had a 75% higher chance of developing high blood pressure compared to those without pain. Those with chronic pain in specific areas—like the abdomen, neck, or back—also showed increased risks, ranging from 16% to 43%. Short-term pain carried a modest 10% increased risk.

Analysis reveals that nearly 12% of the pain-hypertension link can be explained by depression and systemic inflammation, highlighting these as important mediators. Since chronic pain often leads to depression, which itself raises blood pressure, early detection and treatment of mental health conditions may help mitigate this risk.

Lead researcher Dr. Jill Pell from the University of Glasgow emphasized the need for healthcare providers to recognize that patients with chronic pain are at increased risk of hypertension. Managing pain effectively while monitoring blood pressure and mental health could help prevent cardiovascular complications.

While this observational study focuses mainly on middle-aged White adults and cannot prove causation, it underscores the importance of integrated care approaches. Future randomized trials are needed to explore how pain management interventions impact blood pressure, including considering the effects of common pain medications that may influence hypertension.

These insights deepen understanding of the complex interactions between chronic pain, psychological health, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease risk, offering new frontiers for prevention and treatment.

REFERENCE: Pei Qin, Frederick K. Ho, Carlos A. Celis-Morales, Jill P. Pell. Chronic Pain and Hypertension and Mediation Role of Inflammation and Depression. Hypertension, 2025; DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.125.25544