STUDY OF RISK FACTORS FOR DENTAL CARIES IN PREGNANT WOMEN ACCORDING TO GESTATIONAL TRIMESTER

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to analyze the occurrence of risk factors for dental caries in pregnant women, relating these factors to pregnancy trimester. Method: It was conducted a descriptive cross-sectional observational study, in which were selected 90 pregnant women. Clinical examination was performed to evaluate the amount of dental plaque (Simplified Oral Hygiene Index – SOHI) and caries experience (Permanent Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth – DMFT). Unstimulated saliva was sampled for counting of total mutans streptococci (TMS) on mitis salivarius bacitracin agar. The correlation between pregnancy trimester and oral health indicators was verified by Spearman test, with confidence level of 95%. Results: The mean values obtained for SOHI were 1.0, 1.0 and 1.1 for the pregnant women in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester, respectively. The values of caries experience for the pregnant women in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester were, respectively, 4.6, 4.3 and 4.8. For the pregnant women in the 1st trimester, 63.4% presented moderate contamination by TMS, while the pregnant women in the 2nd (56.7%) and 3rd (53.4%) trimester demonstrated low contamination. No significant statistical correlation (p>0.05) was found between pregnancy semester and oral health indicators. Conclusion: The pregnant women of this study have significant frequencies of caries disease and its risk factors. No difference was found in the occurrence of risk factors between the pregnancy trimesters. DESCRIPTORS: Pregnant Women. Dental Caries. Risk factors.