Self-reported periodontal problems and oral hygiene practices among pregnant women in antenatal clinic in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Context: Periodontal disease is prevalent among pregnant women especially those with suboptimal oral hygiene practices.
Objective: To assess the self-reported periodontal problems and oral hygiene practices among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin-City, Nigeria.
Methods: This prospective study was conducted among 300 randomly selected pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of UBTH, Benin-City, Nigeria. Questionnaire elicited information on demography,
periodontal problems, mode and frequency of tooth cleaning, utilisation of dental healthcare services. Data was analysed using SPSS version 16.0. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 300 respondents enrolled in the study, 288 completed the questionnaire. The majority (48.4%) were aged 25-30 years and mean age was 29.5 ± 3.57 years. Periodontal problems reported by the respondents were food packing (58.3%), gingival bleeding (23.6%), gingival swelling (21.9%), tooth mobility (4.9%), and tooth loss due to periodontal disease (3.1%). On self perceived oral health status, 137 (47.6%) assessed their oral health as good. The majority (92.7%) of the respondents used toothbrush and paste for cleaning. There existed significant association between age and oral hygiene methods (P<0.05). More than half (58.3%) and 3.1% of the respondents cleaned their teeth once-daily and use dental floss respectively. About 14.3% of the respondents had undergone scaling and polishing. About two-third (66.3%) of the respondents had never visited the dentist and 84.4% had not seen the dentist within the last 12 months.
Conclusion: Data revealed that periodontal problems and poor oral hygiene practices were prevalent among the respondents.

Keywords: Periodontal problems; oral hygiene practices; pregnant women