Toothache Experience and Care among Pregnant Women in Cameroon

HATTON COMPETITION (SENIOR CATEGORY) Objective: To determine toothache experience and care among pregnant women in Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected pregnant women in Central and West region Cameroon. Clinical oral examination was done to determine the presence of oral health problem. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on demography, vomiting and action taken after, change in oral hygiene habit and receipt of oral health advice during pregnancy, toothache experience and action taken oral health problems. The data analysis was done using Statistical package for social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0. Results: Majority of the respondent were third decade of life, multipara, urban area, and west region. A total of 23.2% reported change in oral hygiene habit during pregnancy and Less than one tenth of the respondents received oral health advice. More than half (54.2%) experienced vomiting with 44.2% brushing teeth after the event. A total of 35.5% have experienced toothache during pregnancy Out of which, 12.2% had extraction during the first trimester. The most common oral health problem detected from clinical oral examination was dental caries. Conclusion: The prevalence of toothache and oral health problem among pregnant in Cameroon are high. There is need for improved oral health advice among pregnant women and preventive oral care among those planning to be pregnant inorder to reduce oral health morbidity amongst this group.