Dietary pattern, oral hygiene and self-reported gingival bleeding in pregnant women in Lagos State

Abstract

Aims: The aim was to investigate the association between lifestyle factors (food intake, sugary snacks consumption and oral health practices) and gingival bleeding during pregnancy. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the maternity clinics of three general hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. It included 216 Nigerian pregnant women selected using a convenience sample. Information was collected concerning participants' background, oral hygiene practices, dental visits, dietary habits and knowledge of nutrition during pregnancy using questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: The results showed that the frequency of self-reported gingivitis amongst pregnant females was 27.1%. The nutritional knowledge of the pregnant women was good (88.6%). The relationship between nutritional knowledge, education and dietary habits showed a statistically significant association (P > 0.05). There was no significant effect of the sociodemographic status on the self-reported gingival health of the pregnant females observed in this study. Conclusions: Pregnant mothers in this study have satisfactory knowledge on adequate nutrition in pregnancy. With regard to nutritional status, the result suggests that pregnant women practiced good nutrition such as consuming foods, across and within the various food groups. In this study, oral hygiene practice and food intake during pregnancy were not associated with self-reported gingival bleeding. Our findings buttress the importance of optimal nutrition during pregnancy.