Knowledge and Attitudes of Expectant Mothers regarding Oral Health

Objectives: To explore the knowledge and attitudes of expectant mothers in relation to oral health, in order to plan future oral health promotion programme.

Methods: Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The main findings from focus group discussions were used to develop a self completion questionnaire. Expectant mothers presenting at NHS Lanarkshire booking clinics within a 3-month period were asked to complete the questionnaire.

Results: There were 26 participants in the four focus group discussions, including expectant mothers and their partners. A total of 521 questionnaires were returned. Fifty-three per cent of the expectant mothers were aged between 20 and 29, whereas teenage expectant mothers amounted to 9.2%. Although many participants (44.5%) knew about registering the child with a dentist as soon as possible after birth, a large number (64.7%) did not know about the best fluoride concentration for children's toothpaste. The majority (92.1%) knew that it does matter how much sugar children eat even though they brush their teeth afterwards. However, they did not know the difference between intrinsic sugars and extrinsic sugars as 45.7% of them thought intrinsic sugars could cause tooth decay. Most of the participants (90.2%) understood that tooth decay would affect children from an early age. Also 65.1% of them knew that the use of general anaesthetics when removing or extracting badly decay teeth was not risk free.

Conclusion: A lot of expectant mothers seemed to have a good knowledge of oral health for children. However, in some specific areas, like intrinsic sugars and fluoride toothpastes, their knowledge was limited.