title: Self-reported oral hygiene habits and periodontal symptoms among postpartum women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to describe oral hygiene practices and periodontal symptoms among postpartum women and to assess whether self-reported periodontal symptoms are correlated with a clinical diagnosis of periodontal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered questionnaire was developed to assess socio-demographic information, oral hygiene habits and frequency of dental visits among a group of 409 postpartum women. Additional questions included information on self-reported periodontal symptoms. Pregnancy information was obtained from medical charts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  99.3% of the participants brushed their teeth every day; 46.2 and 53.8% reported teeth brushing once a day or more, respectively. Periodontal disease was present in 61.4% of women. Patients with gum swelling and tooth mobility were almost twice as likely to have a periodontal disease (OR 1.7, CI 95% 0.9-2.8 and OR 1.7, CI 95%: 0.8-3.5, respectively). No associations were found between periodontal disease, gum swelling PTB and/or LBW.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal clinical periodontal disease at delivery was related with self-perceived gum swelling and tooth mobility. Dentists and prenatal medical care providers may have the opportunity to target pregnant women that might be at higher risk for periodontal disease by asking whether they have tooth mobility and/or swollen gums.
authors.affiliation: Dental Clinic, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Milano, Milan, Italy. alessandro.villa@unimi.it
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abati
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Strohmenger
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cargnel
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cetin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult