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. 2020 Jul 4;18(2):387-393.
doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.a44445.

Pregnancy as a Period of Enhanced Risk for Non-Cavitated Caries Lesions

Rute Rio, Benedita Sampaio-Maia, Maria Lurdes Pereira, Mário Jorge Silva, Álvaro Azevedo

Pregnancy as a Period of Enhanced Risk for Non-Cavitated Caries Lesions

Rute Rio et al. Oral Health Prev Dent. .

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate if pregnancy represents a period of increased risk of non-cavitated dental caries related to changes in saliva and oral health behaviours.

Materials and methods: A non-randomised longitudinal study was performed with 27 pregnant women and 25 non-pregnant women, who were evaluated twice with the same time gap (24 weeks on average). At the first visit sociodemographic and oral health-related behaviours were assessed through a structured questionnaire. At the second visit changes related to eating sweet snacks and oral hygiene habits were also assessed. In both visits the surface-related caries status was evaluated according to ICDAS II criteria. Calculation of D0 (Sound), D1-2 (visual changes) and D3-4 (precavitated caries lesions) Index was based on data collected from clinical examination. Saliva pH and saliva flow rate were also assessed.

Results: Throughout pregnancy, a statistically significant increase of eating sweet snacks between main meals was reported, with no effective adaptation of oral hygiene habits. In comparison to the non-pregnant group, pregnant women presented a lower saliva pH at both the first and second visit, p < 0.0005. During the follow-up period, a decrease in the frequency of caries-free surfaces was observed in the pregnant women (p = 0.004) and an increase in precavitated caries lesions (p = 0.011).

Conclusion: The main results support the hypothesis that during pregnancy women are prone to enamel demineralisation, namely, to exhibiting additional lesions characterised by precavitated caries lesions.

Keywords: dental caries; diet; oral hygiene; pregnancy; saliva pH.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Study flow diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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