Use of oral health services among pregnant women and associations with gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: Insights from the 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System

Abstract

Background: The authors examined whether use of preventive oral health care services or visits to a dentist or dental clinic for problems during pregnancy is associated with gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Methods: Data from the 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, comprising 206,080 unweighted responses, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. The regression estimates were adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, health history, geography, and survey year.

Results: Women who received a diagnosis of gestational diabetes (7.0%) or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (13.3%) had lower rates of preventive oral health care and visits to a dentist or dental clinic for problems during pregnancy than those who did not have these health outcomes. Women who did not receive preventive oral health care had 1.13-fold greater odds (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.20) of having gestational diabetes and 1.08-fold greater odds (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.13) of having hypertensive disorders of pregnancy than those who did. Lack of needed visits to a dentist or dental clinic during pregnancy was associated with 1.28-fold greater odds (95% CI, 1.13 to 1.44) of having hypertensive disorders of pregnancy than in women without dental problems.

Conclusions: Using oral health care preventive services and visits to a dentist or dental clinic for problems during pregnancy was associated with decreased odds of having gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Practical implications: Health care professionals should emphasize the importance of obtaining oral health care services to promote oral and overall health among pregnant women. Dentists need to improve their knowledge and willingness to treat pregnant women, especially those with pregnancy complications.

Keywords: Oral health; PRAMS; dental treatments; gestational diabetes; hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; preventive oral health care.