Investigating the Dental Health and Oral Hygiene Status of Pregnant Women in Rural India

The dental health is affected by increase in levels of oestrogen and progesterone hormone in the second month of pregnancy and continues to affect till term and subsides after puerperal period. There is increase in periodontitis, gingivitis and dental caries in women during pregnancy. The outcome of pregnancy is affected by increase in preterm delivery, low birth weight and preeclampsia in pregnancy. The outcome is influenced by life style, dental hygiene and socioeconomic status.

The cohort prospective study was carried out in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Integra Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Lucknow from March 2012 to April 2013, for the period of 1year. The dental health statuses of 600 antenatal cases were studied. The prevalence of gingivitis, dental caries and periodontal disease were studied. The association between poor oral hygiene, gingivitis and dental caries were studied in the pregnant women. In the study the prevalence of dental caries, gingivitis and periodontal disease were 90%, 98% and 90.33% respectively. The antenatal cases with poor oral hygiene were 2.5times more likely to have dental caries.