Abstract

ALMARALES SIERRA, Caridad  and  LLERANDI ABRIL, Yuliette. Knowledge on oral health and demand of dental services in relation to the periodontal disease in pregnant women . Rev Cubana Estomatol [online]. 2008, vol.45, n.2, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-297X.

OBJECTIVES: to assess the level of knowledge on oral health and its connection with the prevalence and severity of the periodontal disease, as well as the demand of dental services on the part of the pregnant women, to determine the prevalence and severity of the periodontal disease in pregnant women, to evaluate the relationship between the level of knowledge and the prevalence of the periodontal disease, and between the demand of dental services and the prevalence and severity of the periodontal disease. METHODS: 71 pregnant women from Moncada, Plaza and Rampa polyclinics that were recruited from September to December 2006 were surveyed. Russell® periodontal index was used to determine their periodontal affectation. RESULTS: it was observed a predominance of pregnant women with an unsatisfactory level of knowledge (59.1 %). The prevalence of the periodontal disease in the studied group was high (87.3 %), but not severity. A statistical significative relation was found between the level of knowledge on oral health and the prevalence of the disease (p=0.01586). It was not so with severity. CONCLUSIONS: The demand of dental care on the part of pregnant women was low (only 36.6 % required it) and it was connected neither with the prevalence and severity of the periodontal disease, nor with the level of knowledge on oral health

Keywords : Pregnancy; gestation; periodontopathies; periodontal disease; knowledge on oral health; demand of dental services.

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