Prevalence of gingival disease in a population of pregnant women

Abstract EN

Objective : to evaluate the prevalence of gingival disease and the degree of oral care among pregnant Jordanian women during the different stages of pregnancy.

Methods : A cross sectional study was conducted to choose a non-random convenient sample consisting of 360 pregnant women attending the obstetric clinics at King Hussein Medical Center between December 1999 and June 2000.

Subjects were assessed by one periodontics at the periodontal clinic in one single clinic visit.

The age of the patients ranged between 20 - 45 years with a mean of 28.7 years.

The stage of pregnancy, gingival index, plaque index, pocket depth score and history of oral care were recorded and analyzed.

Results : out of the 360 patients, 268 women (74 %) had moderate to severe grades of gingival condition, 271 (75 %) had moderate to heavy grades of supragingival plaque and 226 (63 %) had moderate to severe grades of pocket depth scores.

We found no statistically significant difference between patients at different stages of pregnancy and the grades of gingival index, plaque index or pocket depth scores.

The level of oral care was poor.

Only 131 patients (36 %) admitted that they brush their teeth two or more times daily but with no regularity.

Conclusion : the prevalence of gingival disease among pregnant women in our study was high and the level of oral care was poor.

Establishment of preventive programs for pregnant women and regular check-up of the periodontium since the early stages of pregnancy is recommended.