Dental status of pregnant women attending a Brisbane maternity hospital

Oral Health Status and Treatment Needs among Pregnant Women of Raichur District, India: A Population Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives. Pregnancy can be a risk factor for dental diseases as oral tissues are liable to changes due to hormonal variations. The aim of the study was to assess the oral health status and treatment needs among pregnant women of Raichur district, Karnataka, India. Methods. Cross-sectional data was collected from 300 primigravidae from all the 5 taluks of Raichur district visiting the respective community health centre at taluk headquarters. A specially designed questionnaire was used to assess the demographic variables and oral hygiene practices. A clinical examination was done according to WHO (World Health Organization) criteria 1997 and recorded using WHO Oral Health Assessment Form. Results. The mean age of the pregnant women in the study was 21.8 (2.12) years. The prevalence of caries and periodontal diseases was 62.7% and 95%, respectively. The mean DT, MT, FT, and DMFT were 2.06 (2.5), 0.03 (0.17), 0.04 (0.27), and 2.13 (2.54), respectively. The mean OHI-S was 2.87 (1.27). Chi-square test showed that CPI scores increased with the trimester of pregnancy. Conclusion. The present study demonstrates poor oral hygiene and high prevalence of periodontal diseases, as well as a large proportion of unmet dental treatment needs among pregnant women of Raichur district, India.

Factors influencing caries status and treatment needs among pregnant women attending a maternity hospital in Udaipur city, India

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence and severity of dental caries along with the treatment needs; to determine the factors that influence dental caries status among pregnant women attending a district maternity hospital in Udaipur, India.

STUDY DESIGN

Study sample comprised of 206 pregnant women attending a district maternity hospital in Udaipur, India. Clinical data were collected on dental caries by DMFT and treatment needs as described in World Health Organization Dentition status and Treatment needs.

RESULTS

The overall caries prevalence was 87%. Mean caries experience differed significantly among women in various trimesters, it was found to be 3.59 and 3.00 in 1st and 2nd trimester subjects respectively while it was greatest (4.13) among those in 3rd trimester. One surface filling was the most predominant treatment need. Age and occupation of husband explained a variance of 6.8% and 4.2% for decayed and filled components respectively while the only predictor for missing teeth and DMFT that explained a variance of 9.6% and 5.7% respectively was trimester of pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental caries experience and the need for one surface restoration increased with age. Trimester of pregnancy was a significant predictor for missing teeth and DMFT, while decayed teeth and filled teeth were influenced by age and socio-economic level respectively. Key words:Dental caries, treatment needs, pregnant, age, trimester.

Exploring potential pathways between parity and tooth loss among American women

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the impact of parity on tooth loss among American women and examined mediators of this relationship.

METHODS

The study sample comprised 2635 White and Black non-Hispanic women who had taken part in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We examined the relationship between parity and tooth loss, by age and by socioeconomic position, and tested a theoretical model focusing on direct and indirect influences of parity on dental disease. Robust regression techniques were used to generate path coefficients.

RESULTS

Although parity was associated with tooth loss, the relationship was not moderated through dental care, psychosocial factors, or dental health-damaging behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Parity is related to tooth loss among American women, but the mechanisms of the association remain undefined. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether disparities in dental health among women who have been pregnant are caused by differences in parity or to physiological and societal changes (e.g., factors related to pregnant women's access to care) paralleling reproductive choices.

Dental status of women with gestational diabetes on a Greek island

This study evaluated the dental tissues in pregnant women with gestational diabetes. The study group consisted of 39 pregnant women with gestational diabetes and the control group included 62 pregnant women without the disorder. The plaque index, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMF index) and the relationship of these measures to a series of variables (socio-demographic, oral hygiene and diet) were evaluated. Clinical evaluation was performed during 34-36 weeks of pregnancy. The plaque index and DMF were increased among women with gestational diabetes compared with control patients but the differences were not significant (p = 0.167 and p = 0.436, respectively). The DMF increased with respect to age (p < 0.001) and frequency of snacks before pregnancy (p = 0.058). The DMF and plaque index decreased (p = 0.031 and p = 0.004, respectively) among women with a higher level of education. This study detected no significant differences in dental status between pregnant women with gestational diabetes and pregnant women without the disorder.

Periodontal health of London women during early pregnancy

OBJECTIVES

A descriptive cross-sectional study to determine the severity of periodontal disease in early pregnancy and its relation to demographic variables in a South East London population.

METHODS

2,027 pregnant women attending Guy's Hospital for an ultrasound scan at 10 to 14 weeks gestation were assessed. Data were collected via questionnaire and periodontal examination, including plaque and bleeding scores, pocket probing depth and loss of attachment.

RESULTS

Mean age was 29.8 years (sd 5.5). Of these, 61.8% were white, 28.5% black, and 9.7% of other ethnic group. A total of 15% reported smoking during pregnancy. The mean number of teeth present was 28 (sd 2) per subject, mean percentage of sites with plaque present was 60.5% (sd 22.6), mean pocket depth was 2.0 mm (sd 0.4), mean loss of attachment was 0.4 mm (sd 0.3), and the mean percentage of sites bleeding on probing was 20.2% (sd 16.3). Linear regression demonstrated that probing depth was related to age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and plaque score but not to smoking whereas loss of attachment demonstrated relationships with age, smoking status and plaque score but not ethnicity or socioeconomic status.

CONCLUSION

There was a relatively high proportion of subjects with deep periodontal pockets in this pregnant population compared to the Adult Dental Health Survey 1998 but with similar levels of loss of attachment and percentage of sites with plaque present. Several demographic factors were associated with the level of periodontal disease in this population.

Poor periodontal health of the pregnant woman as a risk factor for low birth weight

In both developed and developing countries, low birth weight (LBW) has a tremendous impact on both the health care system and the individual families affected. This warrants the continuous search for risk factors for LBW that are amenable to prevention. Can poor oral health of the pregnant woman be one such factor? In a 1:1 matched case-control study (N = 55 pairs), we evaluated the hypothesis that poor oral health of the pregnant woman is a risk factor for LBW. The effect of periodontal and dental caries status of the woman at the time of delivery on the birth weight of the infant was evaluated by using conditional logistic regression analyses, while controlling for known risk factors for LBW. Mothers of LBW infants were shorter, less educated, married to men of lower occupational class, had less healthy areas of gingiva and more areas with bleeding and calculus, and gained less weight during the pregnancy. Conditional logistic regression analyses indicated that mothers with more healthy areas of gingiva (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.12 - 0.72) and those who were taller (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75 - 0.98) had a lower risk of giving birth to an LBW infant. Risk of LBW was higher in mothers who had no or late prenatal care (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.24 - 12.2). We conclude that poor periodontal health of the mother is a potential independent risk factor for LBW.