Babies causing dental decay in mums, who pass it back to baby
AS if morning sickness, heartburn, aching backs and swollen ankles aren’t bad enough. Turns out babies are also to blame for mums’ bad teeth, with new research showing link between pregnancy and tooth decay. FIND OUT WHAT CAUSES IT.
NSW
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YOUR children steal your heart and rob you of your sleep — but a new study has revealed that first they take your teeth.
Worse, not only do pregnant women have a higher risk of gum disease and dental decay, this might then be contributing to early dental problems in their children.
Yet only one in three pregnant women in Australia will see a dentist, even if they know they have a problem.
The Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research based at Liverpool Hospital released the study, based on 630 women across Western Sydney.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Ajesh George found that gum disease and dental decay in pregnant women is due to the hormone changes and nausea.
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“The number one reason during pregnancy is hormonal variation and there is more blood flow to the gums and the vessels swell up and they are more susceptible to bacteria. Then there are food cravings that can increase decay and the increased nausea and acid from the stomach can weaken the tooth surface,” Prof George said.
The study found that pregnant women are also reluctant to go to the dentist when problems begin.
“We found there was a lack of knowledge in this area and a lot of misconception,” Prof George said.
“They feel they can’t see a dentist when pregnant, it’s not safe and could harm the baby, so very few women see a dentist.
“Our study seems to be consistent across other states, only a third of pregnant women see a dentist even if they have a problem.
“In the trial we found that by raising awareness through midwives about the importance of oral health and the fact they need to see a dentist early in the pregnancy, it did increase uptake of dental services compared to the control group.”
The study also found that mothers can pass the decay-causing bacteria onto their offspring
Tasting baby’s food first or even cleaning a fallen dummy with a quick suck could inadvertently transfer decay-causing bacteria to baby and contribute to early childhood tooth problems.
“If mothers have dental decay when pregnant and after the baby is born they engage in certain practices where there is sharing of saliva, for example, kissing on their mouth or sharing the same spoon while feeding the baby … all that transmits bacteria from the mum to the baby and can actually contribute to early childhood decay,” Prof George said.
Almost half of all children in Australia aged under six have early childhood decay.
“We know the source of bacteria for the child after they are born is usually from the mum for decay-causing bacteria,” he said.
Campbelltown mum Chloe Evans grew up with near-perfect teeth but, after two babies, she suffered through $10,000 worth of tooth decay including 12 fillings, a root canal and a surgical extraction.
“When I first fell pregnant, I started off with a severe toothache then it was borderline septic and they removed the tooth then I developed quite a few holes and baby was taking all my calcium and, after the birth, my teeth started to break,” Mrs Evans, 27, said.
“I ended up with periodontal disease and severe plaque build-up and it only started with pregnancy, so having a baby can really affect your teeth.”