Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Good Oral Hygiene among Pregnant Women in Rivers State, ..

Background: Poor oral hygiene has been linked to an increased risk of gingivitis, dental caries, periodontal disease, and tooth decay during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate pregnant women in Rivers State, Nigeria, on their skills, attitudes, and oralhygiene practises. It will assess their knowledge and understanding of good oral hygiene in particular.It will also assess oral hygiene habits such as tooth brushing frequency, toothpaste type, dental floss use, and the frequency of dental checkups and skilled teethcleaning. It will also look for signs of bad oral hygiene and provide dental education to expectant mothers. oral pathology, as well as self-reported oral pathology

Materials and Methods: A descriptive crosssectional research was carried out on 224 antenatal care women in three different hospitals in Rivers State, Nigeria: Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, General Hospital Bonny, and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Hospital. The days for sample collection and the subjects were chosen using a twophase sampling technique. The participants were given a structured questionnaire to fill out, and relevant information on oral hygiene skills, attitude, and experience was collected and analysed.The women had a very high degree of oral hygiene knowledge, with an odds ratio of 11.2 [7.18, 17.41]. However, this did not seem to have a significant impact on their oral hygiene habits. Just 24.1 percent visited a dentist during the index and past births, 59.4% have never had professional teeth brushing, and just 8.0 percent brush their teeth every six months. Dental floss was not widely used (32.1%), but 78 percent used a toothbrush with paste and 56 percent brushed twice daily. During antenatal lessons, only 10.7% of the women were taught about oral hygiene. Bad breath was the most obvious symptom of poor oral hygiene 97. (19.3 percent ),The most common selfreported dental pathology was bleeding gums, which accounted for 60 percent of the total. Conclusions: Pregnant women in Rivers State, Nigeria, have a strong understanding of oral hygiene but a poor attitude and practise, especially when it comes to dental consultations, skilled teeth brushing, and dental floss usage. Second, oral hygiene education isnot given to Nigerian women during antenatal classes. Many of the bad oral hygiene indexes, as well as the risks associated with them, may be improved by incorporating oral health into antenatal care.

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