Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Behaviour of Midwives Concerning Periodontal Health of Pregnant Patients

Abstract

Maternal gum disease is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and low birthweight. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practice behaviour of Australian midwives regarding the periodontal health of pregnant women to inform interprofessional antenatal care. This was an observational, cross-sectional study. We circulated an online questionnaire to Australian midwives from August 2018 to February 2019. Key outcome variables were knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviours related to oral health. Key predictor variables were years of practice, practice location, and dental history. We summarized responses with frequency tables and assigned tallied scores for analysis using non-parametric statistical tests. 100 responses were analysed, including from rural (n = 23) and urban (n = 77) midwives. Eighty percent of midwives agreed that maternal dental care can positively affect pregnancy outcomes. Fluoridated toothpaste use (19.1%) was incorrectly answered to prevent gum disease more often than psychological stress control (7.9%), a correct answer. Rural midwives demonstrated a significantly higher knowledge score (p = 0.001) and significantly more positive practice behaviours towards oral health (p = 0.014) than urban midwives. Australian midwives have positive attitudes towards antenatal oral health but misunderstand gum disease aetiology and prevention. This study highlights areas to improve interprofessional education for optimal oral health and pregnancy outcomes.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Spanish Midwives and Midwifery Students toward Oral Healthcare during Pregnancy

“…This could be due to the expert panels in charge of the development of Spanish clinical practice guidelines and clinical protocols intended for the attention to pregnant women by midwives being composed of gynecologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, general practitioners, psychiatrists, nurses, and midwives [ 10 , 50 ]. Thus, as non-dental professionals do not have a deep knowledge of oral healthcare ([ 22 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 41 ], and the results of the present study), there is an urgent need for the participation of professionals in the field of odontology in their development.…”

“…However, despite more than 80% of the participants indicating that they knew about the relationship between the mother’s and baby’s oral health (Item 13), their knowledge about the association between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes was limited (Item 20). In this sense, other studies that were conducted not only with midwives [ 22 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ] but also with other antenatal care providers, such as general practitioners [ 22 , 24 , 31 , 32 ], nurses [ 22 , 25 ], and gynecologists/obstetricians [ 24 , 27 , 30 , 33 ], have highlighted that they have insufficient knowledge about oral health and its influence on systemic health, despite the incorporation of oral health into health-promoting strategies and practices [ 34 ]; moreover, this is highly recommended [ 35 , 36 ]. The high level of specialization required by healthcare professionals together with a population- versus an individual-focused health delivery system have contributed to the separation between oral and general healthcare [ 37 ].…”

Determination of Infective Endocarditis Development Risks and Knowledge Levels of Individuals Applying for Dental Treatment

“…Studies have shown that good oral hygiene and gum health are factors that reduce the risk of developing infective endocarditis [21]. Oral infections, especially periodontal disease, increase the level of systemic inflammation and worsen systemic diseases such as diabetes, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis [26]. Nguyeni et al, (2020) [26] found that 33% of individuals go to the dentist every 6 months, 33% go to the dentist every 12 months, 21% every 12-18 months, and 12% only go to the dentist if there is pain.…”

Knowledge level, attitude, and behavior of midwifery students about periodontal health to pregnant women

“…Diperoleh 19,6% responden tidak pernah mengunjungi dokter gigi, 46,1% hanya mengunjungi dokter gigi jika sakit, 30,4% setiap 6 bulan, dan 3,9% setiap 12 bulan. Hasil ini sejalan dengan penelitian Nguyen dkk, 6 yaitu kesadaran mahasiswi kebidanan mengunjungi dokter gigi sekali dalam 6 bulan hanya 33,0%. Menurut Laumara, masyarakat hanya berkunjung bila sudah mengalami sakit gigi.…”

“…Penelitian terdahulu oleh Nguyen mendapati 63% mahasiswi kebidanan dan bidan memahami dengan benar bahwa penyakit periodontal adalah kondisi peradangan yang melibatkan infeksi bakteri. 6 Berdasarkan gejala klinis penyakit periodontal, 98 responden (96,1%) sudah menjawab benar dan 4 responden (3,9%) masih menjawab salah. Menurut Nataris, gingivitis adalah bentuk penyakit periodontal dengan gejala klinis gingiva berwarna merah, membengkak dan mudah berdarah tanpa ditemukan kerusakan tulang alveolar.…”