Webinar: Oral Health in the Perinatal and Early Childhood Periods

Pregnant? Put “go to dentist” high on your to-do list.

Many pregnant people may not think it’s a key part of prenatal care, but it is. The CDC reports that up to 75% of pregnant women have gingivitis, an early stage of periodontal disease that occurs when the gums become red and swollen from inflammation that may be aggravated by changing hormones during pregnancy. Poor oral health during pregnancy can negatively impact other health outcomes, and even increases the risk of preterm birth.

In this webinar, Nandita Kapadia and Camilo Cedeno of UCLA’s Oral Health Collaborative Consortium explain why oral health is important for both mom and baby. They also:

• Present proper oral hygiene strategies in the perinatal and early childhood periods
• Discuss strategies for communicating about and supporting oral health/hygiene with perinatal and parenting families
• Share community resources for supporting oral health

About the presenters:

Nandita Kapadia is a licensed dental hygienist in alternative practice with 10 years of multi-specialty clinical experience. With a Master of Public Health degree from Loma Linda University and a dental hygiene license from New York University, Nandita works as a community oral health liaison with the University of California, Los Angeles, providing education and resources to those most in need.

Camilo Cedeno has worked in oral health community outreach for over 11 years. As part of Colgate Palmolive’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Children’s Oral Health Improvement Program, he has helped bring free dental screenings and oral health education to nearly 1 million children and their families over the last decade. Now, as part of UCLA School of Dentistry’s Oral Health Collaborative Consortium, he helps raise awareness across L.A. County about the importance of oral health.

Related Resources:

• This webinar’s presentation slides: Oral Health in the Perinatal and Early Childhood Periods
• List of dental clinics in L.A. County
• Oral Health Campaign Toolkit (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Pregnancy and Oral Health (CDC)