Knowledge and Practice of Dental Health among Pregnant Women in a Selected Hospital Mangaluru

Abstract

Introduction Oral health is a significant part of prenatal care: health of the mouth, teeth, and gums. Pregnant mothers are more prone to cavities due to hormone surges and a change in eating habits. Although dental health is a crucial component of general health, midwives and obstetricians tend to ignore these aspects unless women complain about dental pain. This study aims to assess pregnant women's dental health knowledge and practices. Materials and Methods A descriptive correlational research design was adopted for the study. A total of 256 women were selected by using a purposive sampling technique from the antenatal wards and outpatient departments of a tertiary hospital in Mangaluru. The data were collected using the demographic proforma, structured knowledge questionnaire, and self-reported practice checklist on dental health. Result The mean age of the women was 27.93 ± 4.72 years. Out of the total number of women selected for the study, 56.6% were housewives, 61.7% were women from below the poverty line, and 57.8% were from rural areas. Regarding knowledge and practice, 66.4% of pregnant women had poor knowledge of dental care and 97.7% of them had an unfavorable practice of dental care during pregnancy. There was a moderate correlation between knowledge and practice of dental health during pregnancy (r = 0.038; p = 0.03). Conclusion The study findings show that dental care or oral health care is neglected during pregnancy.