Pregnancy & Dental Care- What You Don't Know Could Hurt Your Baby

Pregnant women should add frequent dental visits to the list of health care needs during and following pregnancy. Research shows that there's a close link between gum disease and pre-term births or low birthweight babies. In fact, this year, 45,500 premature births in the US may be linked to gum disease. That's nearly one in five premature births. Untreated gum disease causes more premature births than smoking and alcohol use combined. Medical research shows that 40% of women of reproductive age are affected by periodontal or gum disease. In addition, gum disease and dental decay are both transmissible through saliva.

To avoid passing harmful oral bacteria from mom to child, new moms should take care to follow good habits for preventative dental health care, including regular cleanings and exams. The most common "window of infectivity" for children to be infected by the bacteria that causes dental decay or gum disease is 18-36 months, when it's common to share silverware or glasses, or for Mom to put her child's pacifier or bottle in her own mouth to 'clean it'. But infection can occur as early as 3 months for the same reasons.

Regular trips to the dentist, good hygiene habits at home and good nutrition can help moms and their small children avoid dental health issues early on.