The Effect of Oral Health Instruction on Knowledge, Attitude and Performance of Pregnant Women in Mashhad-Iran: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Aim: The current study investigated the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women regarding the importance of oral hygiene, considering its importance during pregnancy and its effect on maternal and fetal health. The effect of educating mothers about oral hygiene was also assessed. Methods and Materials: This study was performed on 203 pregnant women in Mashhad, Iran. The subjects were divided into two groups:102 in the control group and 101 in the intervention group. First, both groups completed a designed questionnaire on the field of knowledge and attitude, and then the DMFT index, Gingival Index (GI), and Plaque Index (PI) were calculated for each participant. Then the intervention group received oral health education. After three months, both groups completed the questionnaire, and the PI and GI were again calculated and compared with the initial values. The results were analyzed by the software SPSS version 11.5. Results: Educational intervention significantly increased the knowledge (P = 0.017) of the participants, improved attitude (P = 0.045), and decreased PI (P = 0.005). However, mean reduction of GI was not significant (P = 0.113). In the control group, none of the variables showed significant change. At the beginning of the study, the variables of knowledge, attitude, PI, GI, and DMFT had a significant relationship with the level of the participants’ education. Also, oral health indicators at baseline were significantly related to their knowledge and attitude. Conclusion: Providing oral health education to pregnant women will improve their knowledge, attitude, and health performance.