oral health status of pregnant women and awareness about oral health among pregnant patients and gynaecologists.

Abstract

Background: Oral Health is an important part of Prenatal care. Poor oral health during pregnancy can lead to poor oral health outcomes for the mother and baby. So the aim of this study is to evaluate the oral health status of pregnant women and to determine the awareness about oral health among pregnant patients and gynaecologist, attending a government hospital gynaecology ward in Lahore Pakistan. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 220 healthy women of age 18-31 years. Study sample was divided into 2 groups. Group 1 comprised of 110 healthy pregnant women . 110 Healthy women who were not pregnant were used as the control group. The clinical examination was done based on WHO criteria for periodontal assessment and PH of the saliva was also measured. Pregnant women were interviewed according to a questionnaire and documented in a specially designed Proforma. Another questionnaire was given to 60 clinicians working in the gynecological ward and responses were recorded in a separate Proforma. Results: The clinical manifestations showed statistical significant values for oral health problems as compared to non-pregnant women. There were only 14.5% of pregnant women who consulted a dentist for their oral health problems during pregnancy and only 35% of the clinicians have advised their patients regarding maintenance of good oral hygiene and routine dental checkups during pregnancy. Conclusion: This study showed lack of awareness in pregnant women. It also showed the presence of misconceptions among gynecologists regarding dental treatment.