New evidence links mother’s oral health to health of her newborn - Pregnant women with high levels of an oral bacterium associated with tooth decay and caries (cavities) are at risk for delivering preterm low birth weight (PLBW) babies, according to a study that was published today in the Journal of Periodontology. The study marks the first time that preterm delivery has been associated with oral bacteria other than those which cause infections of the gums (periodontal disease). This new evidence adds to the growing body of research which shows that a pregnant woman’s oral health is important to the health of her newborn. The study’s principal investigator, Dr. Ananda P. Dasanayake, associate professor of epidemiology & health promotion at the New York University College of Dentistry, and director of the College’s Graduate Program in Clinical Research, hypothesizes that oral bacteria associated with caries can travel to the uterus as transient bacteria. Once in the uterus, the bacteria and the molecules the body produces in response to them (known as proinflammatory mediators) can lead to uterine contractions and cervical dilation. When the cervix becomes dilated, more bacteria can enter and eventually cause the uterine membranes to rupture and preterm birth to occur.
