Gum disease link to pre-term birth.

Australian Doctor,  September, 2005  

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By Cathy Saunders

POOR oral hygiene in pregnancy could be linked to an increased risk of pre-term delivery, according to a leading obstetric researcher.

Professor John Newnham, head of the University of WA school of women's and infants' health, said about 70% of very early pre-term births were associated with inflammatory processes, suggesting infection might play a role.

"We believe inflammation is the culprit, but treating vaginal infections with antibiotics doesn't seem to be effective so ... we suggest it may be coming from a distant site, namely the gums," he ...

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