Gum Disease May Be Fatal to Your Unborn Child

Most women already know that having a baby puts a considerable amount of strain on a mother’s well-being. Most medical studies focus on her hormone fluctuations and other aches and pains that come with such an enormous change in a woman’s physiology.

But these researchers are overlooking something vital.

It’s a fact that nearly 70% of pregnant women develop inflammation of their gums or gingivitis. This condition is so common that it’s been labeled Pregnancy Gingivitis.

But that condition has a very dark side. It is because, if left untreated, gingivitis often progresses into periodontal disease, a serious condition that leads to oral lesions, jawbone deterioration, and tooth loss.

Unfortunately, prenatal care often fails to address this important issue, and as a result, this dangerous condition goes undetected.

We must remedy this situation by insisting that prenatal care facilities institute a check to ensure the patients don't have a periodontal disease as well as checking for the usual warning signs that the baby’ may be in danger.

Near Seven million newborns die every year due to prematurity and low birth weight. In the United States is around 7% with the United Kingdom and Europe having

a similar amount.

In Africa however, the percent of newborn deaths is staggering. It’s double that of the US and Europe. In South Africa, neonatal deaths account for nearly 40% of all deaths of children under the age of five.

In less advanced countries like Angola and the African Republic, 1 in 10 dies with the first four weeks.

Why?

There are of course many factors to be considered as the age of mother, smoking, high blood pressure, etc. but studies were done in South Africa, and Rwanda clearly showed a substantial likelihood that women who had periodontal disease would give birth to children born prematurely and had low birth weight.

Why does periodontal disease have such a profound effect on pregnancy? Studies have shown that women with periodontal disease possessed an imbalance of the protein Cytokines. This imbalance could create inflammation inside the woman’s body triggering a preterm labor inducement.

It seems that every few weeks, modern science is discovering additional proof that much of the body’s physical problems can be traced to poor oral hygiene. It’s simple to see why bacteria cause inflammation and inflammation lead to internal physical ailments.

A healthy, disease-free mouth, however, can kill virtually any bacteria that enters thereby preventing such instances such as premature birth and low birth weights.

So to ensure your baby’s health, visit your dentist and brush at least twice a day, use an oral irrigator such as the Oral Breeze, and rinse with a fluoride mouthwash to make sure bacteria is eliminated and that their breeding grounds are blasted away by the Oral Breeze dental irrigator.