The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry or AAPD recently announced the new guidelines for the oral health care of expectant mother and babies.
The guidelines provided by the AAPD suggest that pregnant women should receive proper oral health care and counseling during their pregnancy and babies should have an assessment of their oral health as they reach the age of one.
“There is evidence associating periodontal disease and increased risk of preterm birth and low-birth weight,” stated by Dr. Beverly Largent, AAPD’s past-president. “Because premature births have become the number one obstetric problem in the United States, we felt the need to provide more guidance about necessary oral care for expectant moms, in addition to promoting oral health as a key part of pregnant women’s overall health.”
Most women are not aware of the risk associated with poor oral health during pregnancy. Their children may be infected with bacteria which can cause cavities if they lack proper oral health.
According to Dr. Largent, “Every expectant mother should receive a comprehensive oral health evaluation and risk assessment. Dental treatment is safe throughout pregnancy, and this is a time when expectant mothers need to be screened for oral risks, counseled on proper oral hygiene and receive necessary dental treatment.”
The guidelines address infants’ and toddlers’ proper oral care because they are more prone to early childhood caries or ECC. ECC is considered as an infectious disease which causes serious health problems and tooth decay. If not treated, ECC can also affect the speech, communication, quality of life, nutrition, playing, learning, and sleeping of children. The updated guidelines show simple ways on how to reduce the risk of ECC to children.
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