Stress and resilience during pregnancy: relationship with perceived oral health and oral health related quality of life

Stress during pregnancy is associated with adverse systemic and oral health effects. However, there is a lack of literature on stress and resilience and their association with oral health and the quality of life of pregnant women. The aim of the study was to evaluate stress and resilience and their relationship with perceived oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among pregnant women in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study included pregnant women visiting private and public hospitals in different cities of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic details, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), and questions about oral health status. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed. The study included 450 pregnant women with a mean age of 30.26 ± 6.85 years. The results showed that 12% of participants had low stress, 84% moderate stress, and 4% high stress, whereas low resilience was found among 37% and moderate resilience in 63% of participants, and no participant showed high resilience. Bleeding gums (70.2%), tooth sensitivity (64.70%), cavities (59.3), dry mouth (57%), and bad breath (56.9%) were the most common oral problems. The resilience score was significantly lower among participants with oral problems compared with those without oral problems ( P < 0.001). The participants with oral problems demonstrated significantly higher levels of stress than those without oral problems ( P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between stress and OHRQoL (B 1.13, P < 0.001), and negative correlations between resilience and OHRQoL (B -0.91, P < 0.001), and resilience and stress (B -0.25, P < 0.001). The study found that moderate stress, resilience, and oral problems were common among pregnant women. Stress and resilience were identified as important determinants of oral health and OHRQoL.