Effectiveness of an integrated oral health promotion program for pregnant women in Chana Hospital

Abstract

The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  evaluate  the  efficacy  of  an  integrated  oral  health  promotion  program for  pregnant  women  who  initially  visited  the  antenatal  clinic  in  Chana  hospital,  Songkhla  province.  The study  was  Quasi–experimental  in  204  pregnant  women.  One  hundred and  three  pregnant  women  were  in the  integrated  oral  health  promotion  program  group.  They  received  oral  health  information  with  antenatal care  and  were  additionally  monitored  for  dental  service  at  28th and  32nd week  of  pregnancy.  Another  101 pregnant women were in the control group which received routine protocol service at the hospital (receiving only  oral  health  information  at  initially  visited  the  antenatal  clinic).  Pregnant  women  received  dental  and oral  hygiene  examination,  and  answered  the  questionnaire  regard  knowledge,  attitude  and  behavior  in  oral health  at  the  first visit  of prenatal  care and  one  month  after postpartum.The  results  showed  that  at  baseline,  the  cavitated  caries  in  both  groups  were  not  significant  different. However,  one  month  after  postpartum  showed  that  mean  surface  of  cavitated  caries  in  the  study  group (x  =  1.81,  SD  =  3.27)  less  than  the  control  group  (x =  6.03,  SD  =  11.27),  and  mean  filled  surface  in  the experimental group (x=3.37, SD =4.84) was significant higher than the control group (x= 1.95, SD =3.35). Additionally  pregnant  women  in  the  study  group  had  better  knowledge  on  self-care  during  pregnancy  and oral  health  care  for  children  than  the  control  group,  but  no  significant  difference  in  oral  hygiene  between the two groups both before and after the study. Thereby, the integrated oral health promotion program help pregnant  women  receive  continuous  oral  care  and  increase  access  to  oral  services  better  than  the  routine care. However, this integrated oral health promotion program may have to be adjusted in order to improve oral  hygiene  of the  pregnant  women.