Introduction:

Pregnancy is a stage accompanied by physiological, pathological and psychological changes which turn pregnant women into special patients demanding exclusive care. These changes are also manifested in the oral cavity and made them more susceptible to the appearance of pathologies that affect the course of pregnancy.

Objective:

To determine the level of knowledge of pregnant women and their relatives on the relation between oral health and gestation period.

Materials and methods:

A descriptive study was carried out, where the universe was formed by 100 pregnant women and a member of their family, belonging to the Teaching Polyclinic Belkis Sotomayor Álvarez, of Ciego de Ávila. The sample was formed by 32 pregnant women and their correspondent relative. A questionnaire was applied to obtain information.

Results:

The number of pregnant women and their relatives who knew the importance of maternal breastfeeding for the oral health of the future baby predominated, as well as the number of those who considered that during the pregnancy period they should go to the dentist for the oral examination -favorable but insufficient results. Most of the sample does not consider gingival diseases and inappropriate habits as harmful for the fetus, and claims that tooth loss exacerbates during pregnancy.

Conclusions:

The level of knowledge of pregnant women and their relatives on oral health and gestation was regular, so it is necessary to insist in reevaluating the strategies to increase the sanitary culture in this prioritized group.

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