Oral Health Status of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Cameroon

Abstract

Background and Objective: Pregnancy is characterized by complex physiological and psychological changes that can affect the oral health of women. There is a paucity of literature on the oral health status of pregnant women in Cameroon. The objective of our study was to describe the oral health status of pregnant women attending the Laquintinie antenatal clinic in Douala, Cameroon. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study from January 2021 to June 2021 was conducted involving pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic at Laquintinie Hospital and provided informed consent. A pretested questionnaire was administered in both French and English. Intraoral and extra-oral examinations were carried out to identify oro-facial pathologies. Results: Two hundred ninety-four pregnant women participated in our study, with ages ranging from 17 to 45 years (mean age = 26 years ± 5.1 standard deviation). Of these 144 (51.7%) were employed, 195 (70%) were married, and 168 (60.6%) had tertiary education. More than 20 (70%) were multiparous, and 111 (40%) were in the first trimester of pregnancy. Three-quarters, 210 (75%), had good knowledge of tooth cleaning, 182 (65.2%) brushed their teeth once daily, and 189 (68%) brushed only in the morning. Only a few 9 (3.2%) knew how to take care of their baby’s teeth, and 84 (30.1%) had been to a dentist. Halitosis was observed in 82 (29.3%), and all our participants had calculus deposits. The predominant oral pathologies were dental caries 168  (60.2%), gingivitis 143 (51.3%), and periodontitis 126 (45.2%). A third, 92 (33%) of the women had swelling of the gums during pregnancy, while 68 (24.5%) did not experience any change. In addition, 62 (22.2%) experienced bleeding, 43 (15.4%) pain, 10 (3.6%) ulcerations, and 10 (3.6%) epulis (pyogenic granuloma). Three out of four 210 (75.3%) of the women needed restoration for carious lesions. Conclusion and Global Health Implications: The oral health status of pregnant women in the Laquintinie antenatal clinic was poor, with a higher prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases ranging from mild to severe gingivitis and gingival epulis.