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 Pregnancy and Your Oral Health 

Congratulations on your pregnancy! While it's important to eat healthy and exercise appropriately, you also need to take good care of your teeth and gums. Scientists have recently learned that your oral health may affect your baby's birth-weight.

Thanks to an important study by researchers at the University of North Carolina, scientists have found a connection between a serious gum disease, called periodontitis, and pregnant women whose babies were born too early or at a low weight.

What is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis is a bacterial gum infection that can lead to the destruction of the bone and fibers that support your teeth. It usually can be easily treated when discovered early. Signs of periodontitis may include tenderness, bleeding, swelling of the gums, or loose teeth. You may, however, have no signs at all. Only a dental professional can tell for sure, so it is important to see a dentist regularly.

How Can Periodontitis Affect My Baby?

As in other infections, when you have periodontitis, your body tries to fight it to stay healthy. Scientists believe that this fight produces byproducts and chemicals that can travel through your blood stream into other parts of your body. If these chemicals reach your uterus (womb), they may cause you to go into labor before your baby has fully developed.

According to some estimates, periodontitis may contribute to as many as 45,500 preterm, low birth-weight babies every year in the United States. This is more than those attributed to smoking and alcohol use.

Facts About Preterm, Low Birth-Weight Babies

Babies born before the 36th week of pregnancy (a normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks), and weighing less than 5 pounds 8 ounces, are called preterm, low birth-weight babies. Some may develop slowly and experience serious health problems, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, chronic lung disease, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder.

What You Can Do

Visit your dental professional several times while you are pregnant to have a dental examination and your teeth cleaned. Also, make sure to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day.