Gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth, and now, new research suggests that chewing sugar-free gum during pregnancy may reduce this risk.

The study, conducted in Malawi, Africa, which has one of the highest rates of premature births in the world, found that giving pregnant women sugar-free gum can help them to have healthier babies.

Each year, about 15 million babies are born before the 37th week of pregnancy, or one in 10 births worldwide. This number is rising, according to the World Health Organization.

Babies born very early have more health problems at birth and after birth than those born at full term.

The trial found that pregnant women who chewed gum for 20 minutes a day had a lower risk of preterm birth or low birth weight compared to their peers.

The study, led by US experts, relied on chewing gum containing xylitol, a trendy alternative to sugar often sold in health stores, which promotes oral hygiene.

Pregnant women who chewed gum were less likely to give birth prematurely, compared to women in the control group.

Moreover, the study found that the number of babies born to mothers who chewed gum weighed 2.5 kg or less at birth. The women also experienced an improvement in oral health.

The study authors praised the findings as demonstrating the impact of a relatively inexpensive procedure to improve maternal health.

They believe that chewing gum helps keep women’s mouths clean. Additionally, xylitol has also been shown to help improve oral hygiene by inhibiting the growth of bacteria harmful to teeth.

Women with bad teeth and gums are more likely to develop infections elsewhere in the body, which have been linked to problems during pregnancy.

The study was conducted over a decade and involved more than 10,000 women.

Babies born prematurely, as well as all babies born with low birth weight, are at increased risk of developing life-long serious illnesses.

It was exciting that a relatively low-cost intervention could lead to such a result, said lead author of the new study, Professor Kirsty Agard, a maternal health expert from Texas Children’s University and Baylor College of Medicine.

“The unique thing about our study is that we used an easily available, inexpensive and acceptable method to reduce the risk of having a baby born too early or too young.”

This fits with older evidence linking oral health with premature births, although the exact reasons for this are not clear.

Some scientists suspect that the bacteria in the plaque can travel to the placenta through the bloodstream, causing it to become infected.

Scientists believe this may disrupt the amniotic sac that surrounds the fetus, causing it to rupture too early.

Chewing sugar-free gum helps improve oral health by stimulating the mouth to secrete saliva, and this helps fight acid harmful to teeth caused by plaque, a sticky substance that contains bacteria that feed on the sugar left over by eating and drinking.