Factors influencing caries status and treatment needs among pregnant women attending a maternity hospital in Udaipur city, India.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence and severity of dental caries along with the treatment needs; to determine the factors that influence dental caries status among pregnant women attending a district maternity hospital in Udaipur, India.


METHODS
Study sample comprised of 206 pregnant women attending a district maternity hospital in Udaipur, India. Clinical data were collected on dental caries by DMFT and treatment needs as described in World Health Organization Dentition status and Treatment needs.


RESULTS
The overall caries prevalence was 87%. Mean caries experience differed significantly among women in various trimesters, it was found to be 3.59 and 3.00 in 1st and 2nd trimester subjects respectively while it was greatest (4.13) among those in 3rd trimester. One surface filling was the most predominant treatment need. Age and occupation of husband explained a variance of 6.8% and 4.2% for decayed and filled components respectively while the only predictor for missing teeth and DMFT that explained a variance of 9.6% and 5.7% respectively was trimester of pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Dental caries experience and the need for one surface restoration increased with age. Trimester of pregnancy was a significant predictor for missing teeth and DMFT, while decayed teeth and filled teeth were influenced by age and socio-economic level respectively. Key words:Dental caries, treatment needs, pregnant, age, trimester.
Assistant professor. Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University. Jazan, KSA.
Santhosh
S
Kumar
Assistant professor. Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University. Jazan, KSA.
Jyothi
J
Tadakamadla
Senior lecturer. Department of Public Health Dentistry, Vidarbha Youth Welfare Society's Dental College, Amravati. Maharashtra, India.
Harish
H
Tibdewal
Professor, Department of public health dentistry, Sri Ramachandra Dental College, Chennai, India.
Prabu
P
Duraiswamy
Professor and Head, Department of public health dentistry, Panineeya Mahavidyalaya Institute of Dental Sciences, Hyderabad, India.
Suhas
S
Kulkarni