Dental caries and periodontal disease among pregnant women in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019

Abstract

This study was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City to assess the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in pregnant women. The cross-sectional study involved 574 pregnant women at Hung Vuong Hospital (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) from April 2019 to June 2019. The results showed that the average age of pregnant women in the study sample was 29.60 ± 5.34 years. Of the participants, 65.51% were classified as general laborers, and 34.49% were professional workers. Mild periodontal inflammation, indicated by the Gingival Index (GI), was observed in 445 cases, accounting for 79.3%. Moderate to severe periodontal inflammation, also based on GI, was present in 119 cases, constituting 20.7%. The prevalence of periodontal inflammation (measured by the Clinical Attachment Loss, CAL ≥ 1) was 4.2%, and the prevalence of having the Periodontal Pocket Depth, PPD ≥ 3.5mm, was 13.4%. Pregnancy gingivitis occurred in 0.3%, 1.0%, and 1.9% during the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Overall, 88.5% of pregnant women had dental caries, with an average Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index of 6.10 ± 3.94. Dental caries and periodontal disease were identified as common and significant oral health issues in pregnant women. The study suggests that proactive oral health care for pregnant women should focus on preventing dental caries and periodontal disease.