Maternal oral health directly affects which of the following?

• A. Birth outcomes
• B. Infant height
• C. Maternal blood pressure
• D. Neonatal Apgar score

Answer: (A)

Problems in maternal oral health can trigger systemic inflammation and small amounts of oral bacteria entering the bloodstream. That inflammatory state and bacterial exposure can reach the placenta and influence fetal development, increasing the risk of adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight. Because birth outcomes are the most directly affected by these jaw-health-related processes, they are the best choice. While infant height, maternal blood pressure, or the neonatal Apgar score are important factors in pregnancy, they are not as directly tied to maternal oral health through the same clear, inflammatory-to-placental pathway.