If you want your children to have healthy teeth, make sure that your own mouth is healthy.
New DNA coding techniques have allowed medical researchers to trace the path of infection from one person to another. One of the common oral infections, gum disease (also known as periodontal disease), was found to be transmitted by saliva contact between family members.
Studies from Brazil to Japan have shown that the bacterial flora (number and kind of bacteria) in a child’s mouth is very similar to the bacterial flora of their mothers.
Transmission of bacteria, and thereby disease, can occur through saliva contact in many ways e.g.
All this can give periodontal disease to children.
In a 1997 study, it was found that one type of periodontal infection was found 26 times often in children younger than three years – if the mother tested positive for the same infection.
Is periodontal disease serious? It is well-recognised that periodontal disease is the common cause of tooth loss in adults. Treatment of advanced periodontal disease and its consequences e.g. replacement of lost teeth, can be both complex and expensive.
The good news is that periodontal disease and tooth decay is easily preventable. Here is what you can do:
As parents, your attitudes to good health are bound to rub off on your child.
Find out about gum disease on our website.