IADR Abstract Archives
Oral Health and Candida Carriage in Under-served US Pregnant Women
Objectives: Despite the well-documented association between poor maternal oral health and increased caries risk in children, prenatal oral health care is underutilized, especially among the underserved population. Besides, recent studies suggest oral Candida as a potential culprit for children’s caries, with evident maternal sources. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain epidemiological data on the oral health and oral Candida carriage in a cohort of underserved US pregnant women and reveal factors associated with their oral Candida carriage.
Methods: Eighty-two socioeconomically disadvantaged women (48 pregnant/34 non-pregnant) were enrolled. Demographic-medical-oral hygiene practice data were collected. Caries and plaque index were recorded. Oral samples (saliva, plaque, and swabs) were processed to identify Candida and Streptococcus mutans by culturing-dependent and -independent methods. Multiple logistic regression was modeled to identify factors associated with oral Candida carriage and caries severity.
Results: More pregnant women (79.1%) had >=1 untreated decayed tooth comparing to their non-pregnant counterparts (47.1%) (p=0.01). The average decayed teeth were 3.9 and 3.1 in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Caries severity was positively associated with race (African American vs. white), plaque index, and salivary Candida albicans level. C. albicans was the most predominant/abundant Candida strain, with 56%/56% in saliva and 40%/47% in the plaque of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Cheek and tonsil were the most popular colonized sites. Study women’s oral Candida carriage is positively associated with hypertension [p=0.03, OR=14.47(1.28, 163.51)], decayed teeth number [p=0.04, OR=1.31(1.01,1.69)] and salivary S. mutans level [p=0.03, OR=4.80(1.18-19.43)].
Conclusions: Underserved US pregnant women need improved oral health. A large proportion of them has untreated decayed teeth and high carriage of oral Candida. Due to the observed association between decayed teeth number and oral Candida carriage, providing oral health care during pregnancy (including limiting decayed teeth) will not only improve women’s oral health but also offer an opportunity to reduce oral Candida carriage.
Methods: Eighty-two socioeconomically disadvantaged women (48 pregnant/34 non-pregnant) were enrolled. Demographic-medical-oral hygiene practice data were collected. Caries and plaque index were recorded. Oral samples (saliva, plaque, and swabs) were processed to identify Candida and Streptococcus mutans by culturing-dependent and -independent methods. Multiple logistic regression was modeled to identify factors associated with oral Candida carriage and caries severity.
Results: More pregnant women (79.1%) had >=1 untreated decayed tooth comparing to their non-pregnant counterparts (47.1%) (p=0.01). The average decayed teeth were 3.9 and 3.1 in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Caries severity was positively associated with race (African American vs. white), plaque index, and salivary Candida albicans level. C. albicans was the most predominant/abundant Candida strain, with 56%/56% in saliva and 40%/47% in the plaque of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Cheek and tonsil were the most popular colonized sites. Study women’s oral Candida carriage is positively associated with hypertension [p=0.03, OR=14.47(1.28, 163.51)], decayed teeth number [p=0.04, OR=1.31(1.01,1.69)] and salivary S. mutans level [p=0.03, OR=4.80(1.18-19.43)].
Conclusions: Underserved US pregnant women need improved oral health. A large proportion of them has untreated decayed teeth and high carriage of oral Candida. Due to the observed association between decayed teeth number and oral Candida carriage, providing oral health care during pregnancy (including limiting decayed teeth) will not only improve women’s oral health but also offer an opportunity to reduce oral Candida carriage.