Premature birth risk cut with hygienist visit

Mums-to-be who see a hygienist can reduce the risk of a premature birth by one third.

That’s according to a study conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

It found that pregnant women saw a 34% reduction in the risk of a pre-term labour if they underwent a simple dental procedure.

In a study published in the Journal of Periodontal Medicine, the researchers described how expectant mothers with a high risk of premature birth saw that risk cut by a third if they underwent a technique called scaling and root planing.

A pre-term birth is defined by doctors as having occurred before the pregnancy hit the 37-week mark.

 

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