Association between dental anxiety and oral health among pregnant women

Objectives: Dental anxiety negatively affects oral health and the quality of life of the people who suffer from it. Pregnant women constitute a risk group as they are more susceptible to developing oral diseases and because of the higher rates of anxiety and depression that characterize this period. The ways in which dental anxiety affect pregnant women have been sparsely studied. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dental anxiety and the oral health status of pregnant women at a primary health care center in Puente Alto, Santiago, Chile.
Methods: In this cross sectional and correlational study 50 pregnant women enrolled at the GES program (Explicit Health Guarantees program) at the primary health care center Vista Hermosa were assessed. Dental anxiety was evaluated by means of IDAF-4C+ and oral health status was assessed by two calibrated dentists using DMFT, OHI and GI. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation were used to analyze data.

Results: 10,2% of respondents reported moderate dental anxiety and 22,4%, dental phobia. Average DMFT of the pregnant women was 7,5. 52% of them showed a good gingival condition and 77% an optimal oral hygiene. A significant correlation was observed between dental anxiety and DMFT (rho = 0,31 p<0,05), and also between dental anxiety and the “Decayed” component (rho = 0,4 p<0,05). No significant correlation among OHI (rho = 0,22 p>0,05), GI (rho = 0,17 p>0,05) and dental anxiety were observed.

Conclusions: There is a significant association between dental anxiety and DMFT among pregnant women. Higher scores of dental anxiety were associated to higher DMFT scores and caries prevalence.