Brushing for baby
- July 8, 2026
Good dental health is better for your child
When planning to become pregnant, many women focus on ensuring that their heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar levels are within normal ranges. But research shows dental health is also important for a healthy pregnancy.
“The health of your teeth and gums can affect the health of your unborn child,” said Mark Jansen, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Dental health has a domino effect. Problems can begin with gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums. When this condition worsens, it can become a serious bacterial infection called periodontitis. When people who have periodontitis chew, bacteria from the gums can enter the bloodstream. From there, the bacteria can travel throughout the body, including the heart and lungs.
“If you’re pregnant, the bacteria can go into the uterus and through the placenta, the plate of tissue that is on the inside of the womb, and it can have a real effect on the baby,” Dr. Jansen said.
“When the placenta is infected, it can trigger the mom to have the baby early, which is known as a pre-term birth,” Dr. Jansen explained. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks (9 months). A baby born earlier than 37 weeks (8 months) is considered premature.
Pre-term births are associated with higher infant mortality
“If a baby dies in the first year of life, 75% of the time it can be traced to a preterm birth,” Dr. Jansen said.
Among premature children who survive but have long-term problems, such as developmental delays or other physical issues, 50% of those problems can be linked to preterm birth.
“And if a woman has a more severe form of gum disease (periodontitis), her risk of preterm birth is doubled, so this is a big deal,” Dr. Jansen said.
So how can a mom-to-be lower her chance of having her baby arrive too early because of poor oral health?
Dr. Jansen recommends brushing twice a day, flossing and routine dental cleanings – not just before and during your pregnancy but throughout your entire life.
Most people with dental insurance can have their teeth cleaned every six months at no out-of-pocket cost. Some insurance plans even cover cleanings every three months if a person has a qualifying medical condition, including pregnancy, Dr. Jansen said. Members of Arkansas Blue Cross health plans who have such conditions are automatically enrolled in Dental XtraSM. This special program provides two additional cleanings each year at no cost to the member.
If you’re pregnant or have only an Arkansas Blue Cross dental plan, you can easily self-enroll at arkbluecross.com/dental-xtra.
“If you have good gums going into a pregnancy, the likelihood of carrying the pregnancy to full term is much greater,” he said.
Dr. Jansen said the medical community is beginning to understand the connection between maternal and oral health.
“It’s interesting because there are a lot of struggles with both oral health and maternal health in Arkansas,” he said. “We’re really starting to understand how these two problems are connected.”
And it’s not just mothers and babies who are at risk.
There’s substantial evidence that inflammation from poor dental health and gum disease that reaches the heart increases the risk of coronary artery disease. And people who have diabetes can see their disease worsen.
“We’re now seeing some evidence that it can even enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation in the brain that could contribute to Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Jansen said.