Gynecologists' concerns about oral diseases – A step to interdisciplinary approach

Abstract

Background: Oral diseases can complicate pregnancy and labor, and in turn can affect the health of the baby. Such problems may be minimized if there is a well-coordinated interdisciplinary approach between dentists and gynecologists. Aim: The aim was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and the practice of gynecologists practicing in Davangere city toward the prevention of oral diseases. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among gynecologists in Davangere city. A predesigned and pilot tested structured questionnaire were distributed. The questionnaire consisted of questions pertaining to risk factors for dental caries, gingivitis and malocclusion, attitude about the routine dental visit, the role of gynecologists, and their interest to be a part of an interdisciplinary approach to prevent oral diseases. The participants were given sufficient time to answer the questionnaire. The descriptive statistics were generated using SPSS software. Results: Poor oral hygiene was recognized as the risk factor for dental caries by 85% of participants. A vast majority of 93.9% was willing to refer their patients to dentists. Only 68.7% were found to examine the oral cavity of their patients, and nearly, 50% of participants said that they will refer their patient to visit a dentist in the first trimester. Conclusion: Gynecologists seem to embrace a fair knowledge about oral diseases. Their attitudes toward the prevention of oral diseases were positive, whereas, their practice toward the prevention of oral diseases needs improvement.