Dental care in pregnancy – the state of knowledge among Polish dentists and gynaecologists, and factors affecting knowledge about dental management in pregnancy

Introduction. The overall health condition, as well as the course and duration of pregnancy are important determinants of the term of delivery and child’s well-being, including birth weight and oral health. Unfortunately, dental attendance of pregnant women is insufficient. This may result from the poor oral health knowledge of dentists and obstetrician-gynaecologists. Aim. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of Polish dentists and obstetrician-gynaecologists on oral health and dental care in pregnant women, as well as its socio-economic determinants. Material and methods. An anonymous questionnaire for dentists and obstetrician-gynaecologists, which included questions on the demographic characteristics of respondents, as well as 29 single-choice questions on dental issues in pregnancy, which we classified into 4 thematic categories (I ? relationship between maternal periodontal diseases and the course of pregnancy/child’s health; II ? dental management and oral physiological changes in pregnancy; III ? the safety of dental procedures in pregnancy; IV ? providing health advice) was carried out. The data were analysed statistically. Results. A total of 485 dentists and 185 obstetrician-gynaecologists (670 doctors in total) completed the questionnaire. Dentists were more likely to know the relationship between oral conditions in pregnancy and birth weight, the future risk of periodontal diseases and caries in the child. However, they were less likely to provide correct answers to questions on the safety of diagnostic radiology in pregnancy. On the other hand, obstetrician-gynaecologists were more likely to have doubts about performing some dental procedures, including fluoride varnish application and scaling. The mean number of correct answers to all questions was higher in the group of dentists vs. gynaecologists. Correlations with age and a longer period of practice were found in the group of dentists, while correlations with age and the type of practice were observed among gynaecologists. Conclusions. The poor level of knowledge of Polish dentists and gynaecologists on dental treatment and its safety in pregnant women indicates the need for education of dental and obstetric practitioners. The level of knowledge in both these professional groups is associated with age and, additionally, with the length of practice in the case of dentists, and the type of practice in the case of obstetrician-gynaecologists.