We all know that periodontal disease can contribute to low-birth-weight and/or premature babies. However, a study in Journal of Periodontology reveals that it’s never too late to fix what’s broken. Treating gum disease in pregnant women decreases the risk of low-weight and premature births.
These findings were based on a study of 450 moms to be, and the percentages are quite astonishing. Without therapy, 79% of the moms delivered low-weight or preterm babies, while those moms that underwent periodontal treatment delivered only 7.9% underweight or premature babies. Review the study online at: http://perio.org/consumer/pregnancy-therapy07.htm.