Prenatal oral health care helps guard against early childhood caries

Babies are borne with very little bacteria in their mouths, especially the one that cause decay and gum disease. Most of this bacteria is acquired from the mother.

Studies have show the better the prenatal and postnatal oral hygiene the mother has the less likely the baby will develop early childhood caries. Intimate contact with parents transfer bacteria to their child early on. If either parent has periodontal disease, the bacteria that causes it is introduced to the child and the bacteria will then be able to propagate throughout the mouth especially when teeth erupt . Same is true for bacteria that causes decay.

So it is important for parents to maintain good oral hygiene during the early years of child development .