Objective: Despite the importance of oral health during pregnancy and its consequences for mother and child, dental cleaning behaviour is ineffective among pregnant women; therefore, the prevalence of gingivitis is high in this group. The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting dental cleaning behaviour among pregnant women with gingivitis.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Sanandaj city, in the west of Iran in 2017. Using simple random sampling, 340 pregnant women from five health comprehensive service centres were recruited in the study. Data were gathered by a two-section questionnaire. The first section included demographic information, and the second section involved variables of trans-theoretical model, fear of dental care and social support. Analysis of data was done by SPSS software by frequency, descriptive, Student t-test, ANOVA, chi-square, correlation coefficient and regression.
Results: About 50% of the pregnant women were in the first stages of dental cleaning behaviour change. The mean score of gingival index (P = 0.01), perceived barriers (P < 0.001) and fear of dental care (P = 0.04) was higher in the initial stages of behaviour change (P < 0.001). Perceived self-efficacy was directly correlated with social support and perceived benefits (P < 0.01). Dental cleaning behaviour increased 1.59 times and 1.42 times when perceived self-efficacy and social support were increased one unit, respectively.
Conclusions: The results showed the majority of pregnant women had a low perception of the benefits of dental cleaning behaviour, did not have adequate incentive for doing the behaviour and did not receive the required social support.
Keywords: dental health; gingivitis; pregnant women.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.