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(Ivanhoe Newswire) Could better dental hygiene lead to healthier babies?
Investigators who looked at bacteria in the stomach contents of newborns suggest that might be the case. Their research found two species of bacteria in the gastric aspirates (defined as stomach contents containing amniotic fluid swallowed by the baby during delivery) commonly found in peoples mouths. These bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause serious health problems, including endocarditis, an infection of the heart valves.
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Our studies show that sampling the stomach contents of newborn babies by using gastric aspirates can provide a reliable method of microbial identification, study author Cecilia Gonzales-Marin, from Queen Mary University of London, was quoted as saying. Now she and her fellow investigators plan to see whether the mouth bacteria found in newborns matches the mouth bacteria in their mothers.
If thats the case, then moms-to-be might want to brush up on their tooth brushing to ensure a healthy future for their offspring.
SOURCE: Presented at the Society for General Microbiology meeting March 30, 2009
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