Dental prenatal care in pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: The aimed was to analyze health care protocols for pregnant women with a focus on oral health. Method: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, documental study on oral health conducted on health care protocols for pregnant women in 2019. Searches conducted in the internet identified maternal health protocols made publicly available by Brazilian municipalities and states. In this search, we considered the following keywords in the Portuguese language: “protocolo” (protocol), “guia” (guide), “linha-guia” (guideline), “diretrizes” (guidelines), “documento” (document) and “orientação” (guidance). It was consulted the following documents by the Brazilian Ministry of Health: National Oral Health Policy, Reception to spontaneous demand: most common complaints in basic care and Basic care protocols: women’s health. The following variables were analyzed: the entry point of each pregnant woman in the health care system, their first dental appointment, the reference and the counter-reference system between the levels of care and the procedures performed by the dentist. Results: It was collected a total of 12 municipal protocols, 5 state and 8 international protocols. Most of these documents did not include all the variables analyzed and in national documents, the procedures reported presented a great disagreement and the reference and counter-reference system was little approached. Most of international documents presented a description of general gestation care, changes in women’s period, and the need for prenatal dental care. Conclusions: It was observed that the “procedures indicated” was dimensions most contemplated. The referral and counter-reference system was not mentioned in all documents.

Keywords

• oral health
• pregnancy
• public health