title: Knowledge and beliefs regarding oral health among pregnant women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Racial or ethnic and economic disparities exist in terms of oral diseases among pregnant women and children. The authors hypothesized that women of a racial or ethnic minority have less oral health knowledge than do women not of a racial or ethnic minority. Therefore, the authors conducted a study to assess and compare maternal oral health knowledge and beliefs and to determine if maternal race and ethnicity or other maternal factors contributed to women's knowledge or beliefs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors administered a written oral health questionnaire to pregnant women. The authors calculated the participants' knowledge and belief scores on the basis of correct answers or answers supporting positive oral health behaviors. They conducted multivariable analysis of variance to assess associations between oral health knowledge and belief scores and characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors enrolled 615 women in the study, and 599 (97.4 percent) completed the questionnaire. Of 599 participants, 573 (95.7 percent) knew that sugar intake is associated with caries. Almost one-half (295 participants [49.2 percent]) did not know that caries and periodontal disease are oral infections. Median (interquartile range) knowledge and belief scores were 6.0 (5.5-7.0) and 6.0 (5.0-7.0), respectively. Hispanic women had median (interquartile range) knowledge and belief scores significantly lower than those of white or African American women (6.0 [4.0-7.0] versus 7.0 [6.0-7.0] versus 7.0 [6.0-7.0], respectively [P < .001]; and 5.0 [4.0-6.0] versus 6.0 [5.0-7.0] versus 6.0 [5.0-7.0], respectively [P < .001]). Multivariable analysis of variance results showed that being of Hispanic ethnicity was associated significantly with a lower knowledge score, and that an education level of eighth grade or less was associated significantly with a lower belief score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women have some oral health knowledge. Knowledge varied according to maternal race or ethnicity, and beliefs varied according to maternal education. Including oral health education as a part of prenatal care may improve knowledge regarding the importance of oral health among vulnerable pregnant women, thereby improving their oral health and that of their children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Including oral health education as a part of prenatal care should be considered.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors: Kim A
authors: KA
authors: Boggess
authors: Diana M
authors: DM
authors: Urlaub
authors: Merry-K
authors: MK
authors: Moos
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Polinkovsky
authors: Jill
authors: J
authors: El-Khorazaty
authors: Carol
authors: C
authors: Lorenz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D017533:Marital Status; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009657:North Carolina; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005459:Fluorides