IADR Abstract Archives
Knowledge and Attitudes About Oral Health Among North Macedonian Pregnant Women
Objectives: This cross sectional study aimed to evaluate attitudes and knowledge regarding oral health and infant oral health among pregnant women.
Methods: The study involved 130 pregnant women in the Republic of North Macedonia who completed an anonymous online questionnaire (Google forms) from January to June 2022. The questionnaire contains 27 questions and was divided into three parts.The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square test and linear regression analyses.
Results: The women are most informed about oral health in pregnancy from their dentists (30.8 %), (20.8%) from their gynecologist, while 19.2% of pregnant women receive information through television or the Internet. 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 (Chi square value =13.216, p= 0.004, p < 0.05). Only 20.5 % of respondents are aware that breastfeeding can cause tooth decay.
Linear regression analysis showed that pregnant women's knowledge about the association between pregnancy and periodontal diseases is statistically significantly positively associated with their gynecologist's advice to visit a dentist (β=1.282, P≤0.001). In addition, pregnant women's knowledge about children's oral health is statistically significantly negatively associated with women already having children (β= -0.693, P=0.043).
Conclusions: Pregnant women in the Republic of North Macedonia do not have sufficient knowledge, and they are neither aware of the importance of oral health during pregnancy nor infant oral health.
Methods: The study involved 130 pregnant women in the Republic of North Macedonia who completed an anonymous online questionnaire (Google forms) from January to June 2022. The questionnaire contains 27 questions and was divided into three parts.The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square test and linear regression analyses.
Results: The women are most informed about oral health in pregnancy from their dentists (30.8 %), (20.8%) from their gynecologist, while 19.2% of pregnant women receive information through television or the Internet. 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 (Chi square value =13.216, p= 0.004, p < 0.05). Only 20.5 % of respondents are aware that breastfeeding can cause tooth decay.
Linear regression analysis showed that pregnant women's knowledge about the association between pregnancy and periodontal diseases is statistically significantly positively associated with their gynecologist's advice to visit a dentist (β=1.282, P≤0.001). In addition, pregnant women's knowledge about children's oral health is statistically significantly negatively associated with women already having children (β= -0.693, P=0.043).
Conclusions: Pregnant women in the Republic of North Macedonia do not have sufficient knowledge, and they are neither aware of the importance of oral health during pregnancy nor infant oral health.