A HEALThY SMILE
by Sheri Wallace

Before becoming pregnant, you probably ran through a preconception checklist -- take enough folic acid, perhaps by adding prenatal vitamins, up your intake of calcium, and avoid alcohol. Chances are, you went to your healthcare provider to get the green light to start trying and stocked up on pregnancy tests. But did you remember to go to the dentist?

"We have found that women with periodontal disease have between a three- and eight-fold increase in risk of a premature baby," says Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat, D.M.D, chair of Periodontics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. She maintains that visiting your dentist before you get pregnant may drastically influence the outcome of your pregnancy.

Jeffcoat is the lead researcher in a series of studies on periodontal disease and pregnancy risks in over 2,000 women. Her findings have changed recommended prenatal care for women around the world and have been publicized by the American Academy of Periodontology.