Attitudes and knowledge regarding oral health among pregnant women

Cilj: Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je procijeniti stavove i znanje trudnica o oralnom zdravlju u trudnoći i očuvanju oralnog zdravlja djece najranije dobi. Materijali i metode: Upitnik je bio anoniman i sastojao se od 27 pitanja koja su se odnosila na opće demografske podatke, vlastita iskustva o oralnom zdravlju u trudnoći, stavove o povezanosti oralnog zdravlja i trudnoće te očuvanju oralnog zdravlja djece najranije dobi. Rezultati: U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 325 trudnica, dobi od 18 do 43 godine. Trudnice se o povezanosti oralnog zdravlja i trudnoće najviše informiraju od svog doktora dentalne medicine (53,54 %), a najmanje od liječnika obiteljske medicine (4 %). Višestruka regresijska analiza pokazala je da je konačan stav trudnica o povezanosti oralnog zdravlja i trudnoće statistički značajno ovisan o informiranju putem televizije ili interneta (β = 0,536, P = 0,008), a konačan rezultat stava o oralnom zdravlju djece najranije dobi o informiranju iz knjiga, časopisa i brošura (β = 0,403, P = 0,049). U trudnoći je krvarenje gingive primijetilo 52,31 % ispitanica, a mobilnost zuba njih 12,31 %. Hi-kvadrat testom utvrđeno je da postoji razlika u stavu o dobi u kojoj treba prestati dojiti dijete između ispitanica kojima je prva trudnoća i onih koje već imaju djece. Samo 9,23 % ispitanica svjesno je da dojenje može uzrokovati karijes. Zaključak: S obzirom na dobivene rezultate istraživanja, zaključeno je da trudnice u Republici Hrvatskoj nisu dovoljno osviještene o oralnom zdravlju u trudnoći i očuvanju oralnog zdravlja djece najranije dobi.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes and knowledge regarding the oral health and infant oral health among pregnant women. Materials and methods: The questionnaire was anonymous and contained 27 questions about general demographic information, their own experiences about the oral health during pregnancy, the attitudes about the association between the oral health and pregnancy and the infant oral health. Results: The study involved 325 pregnant women, 18 to 43 years old. They are most informed about the linkage between the oral health and pregnancy from their dentists (53.54%) and least from their general doctors (4%). Multiple regression analyses showed that the final attitude of pregnant women on the association between oral health and pregnancy was statistically significantly dependent on information via television or the Internet (β = 0.536, P = 0.008), and the final attitude on the infant oral health on information from books, magazines and brochures (β = 0.403, P = 0.049). In pregnancy, gingival bleeding was observed by 52.31% of respondents and tooth mobility by 12.31%. The chi-square test found that there was a difference in attitude regarding the age at which they should stop breastfeeding between respondents who had their first pregnancy and those who already had children. Only 9.23 % of respondents are aware that breastfeeding can cause tooth decay. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it was concluded that pregnant women in the Republic of Croatia are not sufficiently aware of oral health in pregnancy and infant oral health