Addressing Oral Health Disparities in Pregnancy: Oral Health Risk Factors and Clinical Findings at a Safety-Net...

Pregnant women have been identified as a special adult population that is particularly vulnerable to oral diseases. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the prevalence of oral disease risk factors and (2) to examine the association between having a dental visit in the last 12 months and obvious tooth decay among a sample of pregnant women with low income.

This cross-sectional study analyzed the outcomes of oral health risk assessments for 554 pregnant women in a municipal hospital in the Bronx, New York. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to examine the characteristics of the study population. Simple and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between having a dental visit in the last 12 months and obvious tooth decay.

Overall, 28.2% of participants had a dental visit in the last 12 months and 87.7% had dental insurance. Over half of individuals reported frequent consumption of sugary beverages (52.2%). Nearly 30% of the participants showed signs of obvious tooth decay. There was no statistically significant association between last dental visit and obvious tooth decay (odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval [0.67-1.56]).

The high prevalence of unmet oral health needs despite widespread dental insurance coverage in this study sample suggests other barriers to oral health care beyond insurance coverage. The findings from this study underscore the complexity of oral disease and the potential role that targeted, interprofessional efforts can have on the promotion of oral health in vulnerable pregnant women.