Oral health, knowledge about dental treatment, and occurrence of dental caries during pregnancy in Lagarto, Sergipe

Carvalho, Daniela Caroline dos Santos; Souza, Maria Carolina Santos; Dantas, Matheus Fontes da Silva; Silva, Kelly da; Oliveira-Vanderlei, Katharina Morant Holanda de

doi:10.1590/1806-9304202520240162-en

home Sumário navigate_before Anterior Atual Seguinte navigate_next

home Sumário

ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Rev. Bras. Saude Mater. Infant. 25 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9304202520240162-en linkcopy

Oral health, knowledge about dental treatment, and occurrence of dental caries during pregnancy in Lagarto, Sergipe

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Objectives: to assess the oral health profile and knowledge related to dental treatment during pregnancy, as well as variables associated with dental caries in pregnant women in the countryside of Sergipe (Lagarto).

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Primary Health Care with 128 women undergoing prenatal care. Participants answered a questionnaire and underwent clinical evaluation to record the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index (DMFT). Descriptive statistics were applied, and a multiple linear regression model was constructed.

Results: the participants’ mean age was 25.1 years (± 6.82), and the mean DMFT index was 6.5 (± 5.4). Increasing age (p < 0.01) and low educational level predicted higher DMFT, with increases of 3.84 points for women with incomplete elementary schooling (p = 0.012) and 6.01 points for those with completed elementary schooling (p<0.01), compared with participants with higher education. Lack of knowledge about the possibility of pregnant women visiting the dentist was associated with a 12.26-point increase in DMFT (p<0.01), while each additional daily toothbrushing was associated with a 1.59-point reduction in DMFT (p=0.007).

Conclusions: older age, lower educational schooling, and lack of knowledge about dental care during pregnancy were predictors of higher DMFT, whereas more frequent daily toothbrushing acted as a protective factor.

Key words:
Pregnancy; Oral health; Prenatal care; Dental caries; DMF index

Age group (years)	Total number of participants	Caries-free		DMFT
		Caries-free		Mean	Median	Standard deviation	Minimum	Maximum
		n	%	Mean	Median	Standard deviation	Minimum	Maximum
<15	5	1	20.0	2.60	4	1.95	0	4
15-19	23	0	0.0	5.00	4	3.36	1	14
20-34	87	7	8.1	6.16	5	4.86	0	22
35-43	13	1	7.7	12.62	12	7.85	0	28
Total	128	9	7.0

Information and knowledge on pregnant women	n	%
Schooling (n=128)
Incomplete elementary schooling	39	30.5
Complete elementary schooling	35	27.3
Complete High School	42	32.8
Complete Higher Education	12	9.4
Gestational trimester (n=128)
First	24	18.8
Second	46	35.9
Third	58	45.3
Do you have any current oral complaints? (n=128)
No	105	82.0
Yes	23	18.0
Daily use of dental floss (n=126)
No	81	64.3
Yes	45	35.7
Last dental appointment (n=128)
Less than six months ago	70	54.7
More than six months ago	35	27.3
Do not know how to answer	23	18.0
Diet high in sugar (n=127)
No	68	53.5
Yes	59	46.5
Do you notice “easy” gum bleeding? (n=128)
No	72	56.3
Yes	56	43.8
Do you think pregnant women can go to the dentist? (n=128)
No	7	5.5
Yes	119	93.0
Did not know how to answer	2	1.6
Do you consider normal to have dental problems during pregnancy? (n=128)
No	54	42.2
Yes	64	50.0
Do not know how to answer	10	7.8
Have you already heard of “Prenatal Dental Care”? (n=128)
No	79	61.7
Yes	49	38.3

Variables	Univariate Analysis			Multivariate Analysis (Final Model)
Variables	Estimate	Standard Error	p	Estimate	Standard Error	p
Age	0,27	0,06	0,01*	0,34	0,06	<0,01*
Schooling (n=128)
Incomplete elementary schooling	2,34	1,71	0,17	3,84	1,51	0,012*
Complete elementary schooling	4,84	1,69	0,005*	6,01	1,48	<0,01*
High school completed	0,82	1,68	0,62	1,36	1,43	0,34
Current oral complaint
No - Yes	0,64	1,24	0,60
Number of brushings per day	−1,69	0,71	0,019*	−1,59	0,58	0,007*
Daily use of dental floss
No - Yes	1,21	1,00	0,23
Last dental appointment
More than 6 months– Less than six months	−0,08	1,09	0,94
Do not know - Less than six months	3,05	1,27	0,017*
Diet high in sugar
No - Yes	−1,32	0,95	0,17
Easy gum bleeding
No - Yes	−0,39	0,96	0,69
Do you think pregnant women can go to the dentist?
No - Yes	2,73	2,00	0,17	0,63	1,73	0,72
Do not know - Yes	12,37	3,67	<0,01*	12,26	3,07	<0,01*
Do you consider normal for pregnant women to have dental problems?
Do not know - No	1,49	1,85	0,42
Yes - No	−0,52	0,99	0,60
Have you already heard of “Prenatal Dental Care”?
No - Yes	−0,27	0,98	0,79

vertical_align_top show_chart

more_horiz close
- image
- translate
- link
- article
- vertical_align_top
- file_download
- show_chart
- image
- translate
- link
- article

location_on

Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira Rua dos Coelhos, 300. Boa Vista, 50070-550 Recife PE Brasil, Tel./Fax: +55 81 2122-4141 - Recife - PR - Brazil
E-mail: revista@imip.org.br

rss_feed Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[TFN1] DMFT= index of decayed, missing, and filled teeth.