The oral health of the mother is the best predictor of the oral health of the child. If the mother has poor oral hygiene, a poor diet, and a high bacterial load, that will get passed on to the child. Periodontal disease is also associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including pre-term labor and preeclampsia. This video featuring Mark Deutchman, MD, family medicine physician and professor at the University of Colorado, delves into the reasons that oral health during pregnancy is crucial for both mother and baby.
You may also be interested in:
- MORE Care, an initiative of CareQuest Institute that aims to integrate oral health competencies and capabilities into primary care offices while building patient-centered referral networks with local dental providers using health information technology.
- A Three Domain Framework to Innovating Oral Health Care, a white paper that outlines a new model in dentistry that will be more cost-effective, efficient, and equitable.
- Medical-Dental Integration web page, a collection of resources that explore the growing connections between oral health and overall health.