Pregnancy–related changes in oral health and human unstimulated whole saliva

Abstract EN

This study was conducted on 200 women.

One hundred fifty pregnant woo-men at different stages of pregnancy, fifty women in each group, first, second and third trimesters were included in the study.

The other fifty non–pregnant women with comparable age were used as a control group.

The sample was taken from Al–Batool Teaching Hospital and Antenatal Care Unit of Al–Hadbaa Health Center, Mosul during the period from June 2001 to March 2002.

The study was done to assess the cha-nges in the concentration of certain comp-ounds of human unstipulated whole mi-xed saliva; study the frequency and severity of Gingival Index, evaluate Dec-ayed, Missing and Filled Teeth Index (DMFTI) during pregnancy and also to correlate the pregnancy related changes (if any) in human unstipulated whole mixed saliva with oral manifestation during different stages of pregnancy.

The result of this study during pregnancy included decreased salivary flow rate, pH, total protein and calcium concentrations, while increased α–amylase activity, sodium concentration, severity of gingival inflammation and DMFT Index were identified compared with the controls.

In conclusion, the pregnancy involves complex changes with every system in even healthy women is altered to some degree during pregnancy.

It modifies oral health and saliva composition.