June 2007

Objectives: This study was carried out to assess the oral health status of new mothers, following not more than three days post-delivery, in South-East Hungary. An additional aim was to examine the effect of socioeconomic status on the oral health of the 169 women who volunteered, all of whom were healthy. Material and Methods: Socioeconomic data were collected via a questionnaire, and patients were examined according to WHO guidelines. The state of the periodontium was described by examining the plaque, calculus, probing depth and bleeding on probing. The mean age of the women was 27.5 yrs, representing all educational levels and professional categories of the country. Results: The mean DMFT was 12.57, and the mean DMFS was 26.26. The plaque index was 0.68, the calculus frequency 20.22%, the mean probing depth 1.65mm and bleeding on probing occurred in 36.27% of teeth. Regression analyses demonstrated that caries levels were mostly related to age and plaque scores, while the state of the periodontium was mostly related to educational level, age and profession. The number of pregnancies had no significant influence on the caries nor on the periodontal status of these women. Conclusions: It was concluded that the oral health status of these mothers was mainly age- and socioeconomically-related, and that the dental needs of women during pregnancy must be emphasized, both to the dental profession and to the patients themselves. Key words: caries, DMFT, periodontal status, pregnancy