To evaluate high-risk pregnant women’s oral health perception and associated factors

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: to evaluate high-risk pregnant women’s oral health perception and associated factors during dental prenatal care. Methods: observational cross-sectional study, developed in the city of Itapemirim-ES, with seventy-six high-risk pregnant women who answered a structured questionnaire with twenty questions, referring to the sociodemographic profile, pregnancy, use of dental services and perception of oral health, in the period of June to September 2021. Data were descriptively evaluated, and simple logistic regression models were estimated for each independent variable with the outcome, perception of oral health, grouped into very poor/poor and fair/good/excellent. Results: most women were over 20 years old (78.9%), housewives (60.5%), and considered their oral health to be excellent/good/regular (85.5%), understand that they should take better care of their teeth during pregnancy (92.1%), but 39.5% did not receive guidance on dental treatment during pregnancy. Pregnant women who do not feel that they should take better care of their teeth during pregnancy are more likely to consider their oral health to be very poor or poor (OR=7.75, CI95%= 1.33-45.12). Conclusions: pregnant women understand that care and habits related to oral health are important during pregnancy. Inadequate perception of the importance of oral care during pregnancy was associated with a negative self-perception of oral health.

Keywords

• Pregnant woman
• High risk
• Oral health
• Prenatal care