Association Between Pregnancy, Gingivitis, and Socioeconomic Status

Hormonal alterations, in particular, arise from elevated estrogen and progesterone, which influence the tissues of the gingiva, are the major cause of gingival inflammation. Pregnancy gingivitis, the most prevalent oral disease during pregnancy, is related to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy. This study will be done on pregnant women using a dental and medical clinic in Sirte, Libya, with gingivitis and risk factors. A cross-sectional study was done between April 2023 and May 2024 using a convenience sampling method. The study consisted of 98 pregnant mothers. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire that covered the following domains: sociodemographic information, economic status, dental hygiene habits, and personal medical history. Participants' periodontal health was evaluated using the latest classification of gingivitis and gingival health, focusing on six representative teeth with oral biofilm present. While the other volunteers seemed to have healthy periodontal tissue, 59% (58/98) of the pregnant study participants had a clinical diagnosis of gingival disease. Additionally, 34% (20/58), 34% (20/58), and 32% (18/58) of the mothers who volunteered had gingival inflammation in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Some estimates indicate that approximately sixty percent of mothers experience gingivitis. Identifying risk factors is critical for stressing clinical follow-up during the prenatal period, and also for public health educators to consider as they develop health education plans for upcoming programs