Many Women Don't See Dentist During Pregnancy
June 28, 2005

By Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth News Service

INTELIHEALTH - About half of women do not visit a dentist during a pregnancy, according to two recent studies, despite recent research that shows a link between oral health and a healthy pregnancy.

Both a U.S. and a Kuwait study found that only about half of pregnant women visit the dentist. Most Kuwaiti women who made a dental visit did so because they were in pain.

The U.S. study surveyed 431 women in Johnson County, Iowa. Researchers there found several factors that made a woman more likely to make a dental visit during pregnancy:

• Being married
• Making regular dental visits when not pregnant
• Having dental insurance
• Knowing about the associations between oral health and pregnancy outcomes, such as the link between periodontal disease and preterm birth

The Kuwait study surveyed 603 women in Kuwait city. About one-third believed they had periodontal problems, but this study did not ask about the women's knowledge of oral health and pregnancy outcomes. Most of the women in this study said they had not received any instructions from a health care professional about oral health care during pregnancy.

Dentists recommend continuing regular visits during pregnancy. X-rays can usually be delayed until after the birth.

The studies appear in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.