title: [Oral health of pregnant women and their awareness of oral hygiene].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pregnancy is related with changes in oral health. While the medical care of pregnant women in Germany is well-regulated, there are no structured recommendations for dental examinations. During an "Oral Health Awareness Week" the periodontal conditions of pregnant women in the Federal State of Thuringia (Germany) were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  85 pregnant women participated in this study. Oral health indices (PSI, BoP and DMFT) were recorded. 61 of the 85 women followed the invitation to repeat the investigations after parturition. Additionally, birth weight and height of the newborn were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no correlations between periodontal condition and birth weight. However, pregnant women demonstrated in high levels periodontal inflammation (only 1.2% showed periodontal health). Pregnant woman with periodontitis (PSI 3 and 4) demonstrated clear deficiencies in health education regarding oral health and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings implicate the importance of periodontal care in pregnant women. An association between periodontitis and reduced birth weight was not observed in the studied Thuringian cohort.
authors.affiliation: Poliklinik für Konservierende Zahnheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Jena. Arndt.Guentsch@med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Güntsch
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schüler
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kneist
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heinrich-Weltzien
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Sigusch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors