Use of dental services during pregnancy and associated factors

Abstract

The aim this study was to evaluate the association between the use of dental services and the sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of oral health of pregnant women living in a municipality of southern Brazil. The instrument used in this cross-sectional study was a questionnaire composed of questions about sociodemographic characteristics, perceptions of oral health and access to dental services, administered to 102 pregnant women during prenatal care. Descriptive analyses of the variables were performed, along with multivariate analyses for the estimation in a logistic regression model. The mean age of the women was 29±6.2 years. The area of residence, first pregnancy, and the perception that pregnancy impairs oral health and causes weakening of teeth remained significant predictors of dental consultation. The chances of not having had a dental appointment were significantly higher for pregnant women who lived in the countryside, by more than three times; those who believed that pregnancy damages teeth, more than five times; and those teeth were weakened during this period, more than eight times. Furthermore, not being the first pregnancy was a protective factor for not having dental appointment. Women who are pregnant for the first time, living in rural areas and with misperceptions about dental conditions during pregnancy, did not consult during pregnancy.