Dental Caries and its Relationship with Oral Health Literacy among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Objective: To investigate the association between dental caries, sociodemographic factors, oral health literacy (OHL), and periodontal conditions in pregnant women. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 256 pregnant women in southern Brazil. Demographic and socioeconomic c...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Association of Support to Oral Health Research (APESB)
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clínica Integrada |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://revista.uepb.edu.br/PBOCI/article/view/4644 |
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| Summary: | Objective: To investigate the association between dental caries, sociodemographic factors, oral health literacy (OHL), and periodontal conditions in pregnant women. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 256 pregnant women in southern Brazil. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. The OHL was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (BREALD-30). Dental caries were evaluated using the Decayed, Lost, or Filled Teeth (DMF-T) index, and the periodontal conditions were assessed using the Visible Plaque Index (VPI) and the Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI). Data analysis was performed using adjusted logistic regression. The results are presented as Odds Ratio (OR) and its respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: The results showed that pregnant women with a high level of OHL were 46% less likely to have caries experience (OR 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30-0.99). Pregnant women under 24 years of age were 3 times more likely to have caries experience (OR 3.15; 95% CI: 1.78-5.47). Regarding untreated caries, pregnant women who had less than 8 years of formal education were two times more likely to have untreated dental caries (OR 2.39; 95% CI: 1.16-4.91). Furthermore, pregnant women with severe marginal bleeding were three times more likely to have untreated dental (OR 3.64; 95% CI: 1.59-8.34). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that OHL, age, education, and gingival bleeding among pregnant women were associated with dental caries. |
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| ISSN: | 1519-0501 1983-4632 |