PREVALENCE OF GINGIVITIS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING PRIMARY HEALTH CARE ANTENATAL CLINICS IN IBADAN SOUTH-EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE

Abstract

Gingivitis is one of the most common periodontal diseases and has been reported to affect between 30 and 100% of pregnant women. Recent studies have identified periodontal diseases in pregnancy as a possible predictor for poor pregnancy outcome. This study assessed the prevalence of gingivitis among pregnant women in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area of Oyo State. It also assessed the relationship between gingivitis and parameters such as oral hygiene practices, parity of the women and the trimester of pregnancy. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 consecutive attendees at the primary health care ante-natal clinics in lbadan South-East Local Government Areas. Questionnaires were administered to obtain socio-demographic data, pregnancy history and oral hygiene practices. An intra-oral examination was also carried out with particular attention to oral hygiene status scored on a scale of 0 (good) to 6 (poor) and gingival health status scored on a scale of 0 (normal) to 3 (severe gingivitis) the data obtained were analyzed and frequency tables generated. Statistical relationships were obtained using the chi-square test. The mean age of the women studied was 25.4 ± 5.0 years. While 59.8% of the women had secondary school education 36.0% stopped at primary school. Married women accounted for 96.8% of the study population. Most of the women (73.8%) were in the third trimester of pregnancy and 63.5% of them had had between two to four pregnancies. Ninety-six percent of the women had never been to the dentist. The oral hygiene scores ranged between 0.3 and 3.0. Two hundred and forty-six women (60.7%) had fair oral hygiene. A higher proportion of women who had secondary school or higher education (45.8%) and higher proportion of those who used toothbrush and paste (41.6%) had good oral hygiene (p<0.05). Multiparous women had poorer oral hygiene (p<0.05). The prevalence of gingivitis among the women was 100%, 62.5% had moderate gingivitis, while 37.5% had mild gingivitis, the severity of gingivitis did not vary significantly with increase in parity nor across the trimesters of pregnancy (p>0.05). However, severity worsened as oral hygiene scores increased (p<0.05). Only 34.6% women reported any derangement in gingival health and gingivitis was worse in 69.3% of these women (p<0.05). Older women and those who had consulted dentists at least once were more likely to report adverse gingivitis changes (p<0.05). There is a high prevalence of gingivitis among pregnant women in Ibadan South-East Local government area of Oyo State. Efforts should be made at all levels of health care to incorporate oral health care into routine ante-natal care. Also, there is need for collaboration between dentists and obstetricians/gynaecologists to ensure all round health care for the pregnant woman.