[Knowledge, attitudes and practices in oral health of breastfeeding women]

The benefits of breastfeeding on the health of infants and mothers are no longer in doubt. On the other hand, the advantages in terms of maxillofacial development and the risks of prolonged breastfeeding on oral health are much less discussed. An exploratory qualitative study, carried out within the pediatric dentistry functional unit of the dental care service of the Lille University Hospital Center in 2022, aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitudes and practices in oral health of breastfeeding women. This article will discuss the gaps in prevention as well as the obstacles and levers to improving care.

Barriers and facilitators to dental care during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Some barriers to dental treatment during pregnancy are poorly understood, especially those related to psychosocial factors, which are better explored in qualitative studies. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the barriers and facilitators to dental care during pregnancy through a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. Qualitative or mixed-methods studies published in English, Portuguese, Spanish and French, from 2000 to 2016, were included. The search strategies were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, BBO and CINAHL. To evaluate the quality of the studies, we used the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Thematic synthesis was performed in order to interpret and summarize the results. From 2,581 screened studies, ten were included in the synthesis. We found 14 analytical themes related to barriers and facilitators to dental care during pregnancy that interacted in complex ways: physiological conditions, low importance of oral health, negative stigma regarding dentistry, fear of/anxiety toward dental treatment, mobility and safety, financial barriers, employment, time constraints, social support, lack of information, health professionals' barriers, family and friends' advice, beliefs and myths about the safety of dental treatment. Myths and beliefs about oral health and dental treatment during pregnancy appear to be the most frequent barriers, both to pregnant women and to dentists or other health professionals. The findings of this review may support new studies, especially to test intervention protocols and to guide effective public policies for the promotion of oral health during pregnancy.

Determinants of Dental Care Attendance during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

Despite the fact that dental care attendance during pregnancy has been recommended by guidelines and institutions, the demand for dental services is still low among pregnant women. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the determinants of dental care attendance during pregnancy. We performed a systematic literature search in the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Brazilian Library in Dentistry, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Medline using relevant keywords. Studies were filtered by publication year (2000-2016) and language (English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French). The included studies were assessed for quality. Their characteristics and statistically significant factors were reported. Fourteen papers were included in the review. The prevalence of dental service usage during pregnancy ranged from 16 to 83%. Demographic factors included women's age, marital status, parity, and nationality. The socioeconomic factors were income, educational level, and type of health insurance. Many psychological and behavioral factors played a role, including oral health practices, oral health and pregnancy beliefs, and health care maintenance. Referred symptoms of gingivitis, dental pain, or dental problems were perceived need. Demographic, socioeconomic, psychological, behavioral factors and perceived need were associated with the utilization of dental services during pregnancy. More well-designed studies with reliable outcomes are required to confirm the framework described in this review.

Midwives' oral health recommendations for pregnant women, infants and young children: results of a nationwide survey in Germany

BACKGROUND

Studies suggest that poor oral health during pregnancy can lead to perinatal complications, such as low birth weight and preterm delivery as well as poor oral health in children. Aim of this study was to assess the German midwives knowledge about oral health and preventive recommendations for pregnant women, infants and young children.

METHODS

The nationwide online-survey was conducted with use of a self-developed, pretested and validated standardized questionnaire. The German association of midwives (Deutscher Hebammenverband e.V.) informed their members about the survey through email, newsletter, website and association journal (Hebammenforum) (n = 7.500). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Response rate was 12.6 % (mean age 42.9 ± 9.3 years). The majority of midwives advised pregnant women about periodontal diseases (78.6 %). Of the midwives, 8.4 % mentioned the possible associations between periodontal diseases and perinatal complications. In general, half of the midwives (53.5 %) recommended a dental visit during pregnancy. A total of 65.5 % of midwives advised parents about early childhood caries. The majority of midwives recommended that oral hygiene starts with eruption of the first tooth (60.4 %) and the first dental visit of the child should be at age 2 or 3 years (51.6 %). Midwives recommendations regarding the implementation of oral hygiene and the referral to a dentist during pregnancy and childhood were highly variable.

CONCLUSIONS

To increase oral awareness and to improve the oral health knowledge among midwives and all other health-care professionals, uniform guidelines should be developed in Germany.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trial Register DRKS00008021.

Obstetric knowledge, attitude, and behavior concerning periodontal diseases and treatment needs in pregnancy: influencing factors in France

BACKGROUND

Many studies have shown that periodontal diseases are risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and clinical attitude of French obstetricians and/or gynecologists regarding periodontal diseases.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed on randomly selected French obstetricians and/or gynecologists using a self-administered, structured questionnaire during an annual French professional congress.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was completed by 190 French obstetricians and/or gynecologists. Among respondents, 88% were aware of the inflammatory and infectious nature of periodontal diseases. Furthermore, 74.7% of respondents were conscious of its negative impact on pregnancy outcomes. Few obstetricians and/or gynecologists (26.3%) interviewed patients about oral health. Information on oral health was systematically provided to patients by 10.5% of the practitioners. However, 55.6% addressed this issue if they considered the patient at risk for pregnancy. Only 33.2% of practitioners systematically referred the patient to a dentist. Periodontal disease knowledge and consideration levels increased in more experienced practitioners with a private practice and a personal history of periodontal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontal knowledge of the French obstetricians and/or gynecologists surveyed seemed satisfyingly apparent and influenced by levels of professional experience and personal history. However, clinical behavior did not adequately correlate with this knowledge.