Dr. Katie To explains how gum disease during pregnancy raises risks of premature birth and low birth weight. Pregnancy hormones make gum tissue more reactive to bacteria, turning mouth inflammation into a systemic stressor that diverts resources from the fetus. A periodontal check-up before or during pregnancy is a simple preventive step most people skip.
Gum disease during pregnancy is linked to premature birth and low birth weight. This is not a scare tactic. This is something your OB probably never mentioned. Hormonal changes during pregnancy make gum tissue significantly more reactive to bacteria. Inflammation that was manageable before pregnancy can escalate quickly, and the systemic effects of that inflammation can reach far beyond the mouth. Your body during pregnancy is doing everything it can to protect and grow a new life. Inflammation anywhere in the body is a signal that pulls resources, triggers immune responses, and creates stress on systems that need to stay stable. Your mouth is not separate from that equation. It is a part of it, and keeping it healthy is one of the most direct things you can do for the health of your baby. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, please do not skip your periodontal checkup. It is one of the simplest and most overlooked things you can do for both of you.
