Oral hygiene practices and dental service utilization among pregnant women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Daily oral hygiene and regular dental visits are important components of oral health care. The authors' objective in this study was to examine women's oral hygiene practices and use of dental services during pregnancy.

Methods

The authors developed a written oral health questionnaire and administered it to 599 pregnant women. They collected demographic information, as well as data on oral hygiene practices and use of dental services during pregnancy. They used chi2 and multivariable logistic regression models to assess associations between oral hygiene practice and dental service use during pregnancy and to identify maternal predictor variables.

Results

Of the 599 participants, 83 percent (n=497) reported brushing once or twice per day. Twenty-four percent

SUBMITTER: Boggess KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4380010 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature