Awareness of oral health prophylaxis in pregnant women

Introduction: During pregnancy, changes in the oral cavity occur due to fluctuations in hormone levels and changes in eating habits and hygiene. Objectives: To evaluate pregnant women’s awareness of oral health prophylaxis. Material and Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 341 pregnant women from Malopolskie Voivodeship. The statistical analysis was carried out in the R program (v. 3.4.3); a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Over half of the respondents did not receive oral hygiene instruction and did not take part in any prophylactic program. The main sources of oral health knowledge were the internet (66.3%), dentist (43.1%) and gynaecologist (17.9%). Respondents willingly followed the advice of healthcare workers. Approximately 32% of the surveyed women were aware of the most appropriate period for dental treatment (second trimester). Over half of the women admitted that they would receive dental care more often if more procedures were reimbursed. Approximately 71% of the women were aware of the increased susceptibility to tooth decay during pregnancy. The relationship between the presence of caries in parents and that in children was known by 42.1% of respondents, but 45% admitted they did not know how to take care of their child’s teeth properly. Conclusions: Women with a higher education level had better knowledge in the area of oral health. However, most of the respondents need to increase their knowledge in this area. Prophylactic programs should be broadly propagated, and healthcare workers should deliver essential information in daily practice.