Oral Health Practices during Pregnancy: A KAP Analysis of Pregnant Women

Oral health is a mirror of the general well-being of an individual and is used as a quality-of-life indicator.The Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2013 (reaffirmed in 2017) has recommended that regular oral health check-ups and visits to dentists should form an essential component of a complete health package, including antenatal care.This study was undertaken to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) regarding oral health and hygiene in pregnant women visiting the antenatal clinic of Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, Jahangir Puri, Delhi.Around 513 pregnant women filled up a closed-ended structured questionnaire on KAP regarding oral health.Around 57.3% women were not aware of any correlation between oral health and systemic health.About 50% of the women were not aware that pregnancy itself could lead to bleeding gums, while 37.4% knew that gum infections can complicate pregnancy.Around 61.01%were of the opinion that dental treatment during pregnancy would be harmful to the fetus.Around 41.9% disagreed with getting dental X-rays done during pregnancy.Most of the study population was brushing their teeth regularly, but very few knew about correct brushing techniques and interdental cleaning.The study highlights the glaring gaps that exist with respect to preventive oral and dental care in the pregnant population.Thus, it was concluded that counselling pregnant women about the importance of good oral care during pregnancy, as well as incorporating dental check-ups as part of routine antenatal care, is now the way forward.