There is limited knowledge of the relationships between oral health and diabetes. The more knowledgeable doctors are, the more likely they are to make dental referrals. Screening and referral by health professionals may benefit diabetic patients by improving access to dental care. Therefore, there is a need to educate doctors about oral health and diabetes.

Objectives: To determine the association between preterm birth (PTB) and maternal oral diseases during pregnancy. Subjects and Methods: This prospective study was performed by the neonatal and dental departments at Jordan University Hospital. The study included 100 women who gave birth to preterm singleton infants (born less than 37 complete weeks from last menstrual period) between January and July 2009. The control group included an equal number of women who delivered singleton, full-term infants on the same day or the day after the women in the study. The mothers’ demographic data were collected using a questionnaire, and an oral examination was conducted for each participant. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows release 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill., USA). Factors related to PTB were studied in univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Significantly higher DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) index scores, Silness and Loe plaque index scores and Mühlemann tooth mobility index scores were associated with PTB. Mothers who did not have prepregnancy dental checkups had a significantly higher incidence of PTB. Fewer mothers in the PTB group visited dentists during their last pregnancy compared with controls. Conclusions: Oral health, especially healthy periodontium, is one reliable indicator for predicting a safe pregnancy outcome.

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