Abstract
Objective: To evaluate oral health literacy among pregnant women in Kerman, Iran. Material and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 169 pregnant women referring to government institute. Data were collected by demographic profile (including age, number of children, educational level, dental attendance before pregnancy and economic status), 17-item oral health literacy questionnaire consisting of four domains (including reading comprehension, numeracy, listening, and decision-making skills), self-assessment oral health status, DMFT index and oral health behavior. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21 software using ANOVA and Chi-square tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The mean age of participants was 27.92 ± 5.25 years, 38.2% of them had bachelor's degree, 35.8% had dental attendance before pregnancy and 29.1% brushed daily their teeth twice or more. Dentists were the most frequent source of oral health information. Moreover, 60.0% believed their oral health was to be moderate, and 59.4% had inadequate oral health literacy. There was also a significant correlation between educational level, monthly income and dental attendance before pregnancy. Conclusion: Our results showed inadequate oral health literacy among pregnant women, highlighting the necessity of dental consultation before pregnancy.
Highlights
Hormonal changes during pregnancy and non-compliance with oral hygiene increase the incidence of oral diseases in pregnancy [1]
A previous study showed a definite correlation between pregnancy and dental caries, and that pregnant women are at higher risk of caries in the third trimester of pregnancy [8]
Regarding changes in the oral and dental condition during pregnancy, and given that studies underline the importance of oral health literacy, especially during pregnancy, and the lack of research in this context, the current study aimed to investigate the oral health literacy among the pregnant mothers in Kerman
Summary
Hormonal changes during pregnancy and non-compliance with oral hygiene increase the incidence of oral diseases in pregnancy [1]. Previous studies have shown the correlation between periodontitis, low birth weight and early delivery [2]. Mothers with poor oral hygiene may be at increased risk of transmission of cariogenic bacteria to their infants [5,6]. The history of active caries or decayed tooth cavities in mothers is a predictive factor for early childhood caries [7]. A previous study showed a definite correlation between pregnancy and dental caries, and that pregnant women are at higher risk of caries in the third trimester of pregnancy [8]. The main goal of dental care during pregnancy is to maintain a healthy oral cavity in pregnant women by controlling plaque through brushing, flossing and professional prophylaxis, including scaling, root planing and polishing [9]
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