A study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology has found that pregnant women with gum disease are significantly more likely to go into early labour.

Research discovered that women who entered labour early were one and a half times more likely (45 per cent) to have gum disease than women who experienced a perfect pregnancy (29 per cent).

The study also found that early birth rates were more common for women with untreated tooth decay or fillings.

Tags: Brief, gum disease, Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Pregnancy, Pregnant women