GD567 - Association between knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health and the presence of caries and periodontitis in women with high-risk pregnancies: a cross-sectional study-GD567 Article

GD567 Article

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This cross-sectional study examined oral-health knowledge, behaviors, and dental disease among 135 women receiving high-risk prenatal care at a public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Interviews assessed knowledge of maternal and child oral health, while subsets received dental caries examinations (113 women) and periodontal examinations (81).<br /><br />Participants’ overall knowledge was low: the mean score was 1.87 out of 9, and only 2.2% scored in the high-knowledge range. Most reported brushing at least three times daily and visiting a dentist at least annually, but many had received no oral-health or dietary guidance. Periodontal disease, including gingivitis, was found in 79% of those examined. The mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) score was 8.5.<br /><br />Oral-health knowledge was not significantly associated with caries or periodontal disease. Women with nine or fewer years of education had more untreated decay, while older and multiparous women had higher DMFT scores. More frequent dental attendance was associated with greater probing depths and attachment loss, possibly because women with disease sought care more often. In adjusted analyses, periodontal disease was more likely among women in the first trimester than those in the third trimester.<br /><br />The findings point to substantial gaps in oral-health knowledge and a high burden of disease among women with high-risk pregnancies. The authors recommend stronger oral-health education and access to dental care as part of prenatal services. Because the study was cross-sectional and fewer women completed clinical examinations than planned, it cannot establish cause and effect, and its results may not generalize to other populations.

Keywords

high-risk prenatal care

oral-health knowledge

periodontal disease

dental caries

pregnant women

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

DMFT score

gingivitis

prenatal oral health education