Table 1 Socio-demographic and dental characteristics of the study groups stratified by their pregnancy status and utilization of dental services
Variables | Pregnancy Status | Sought Dental Care (last 6 months) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | Six-month post-partum women | Pregnant women | Post-Partum women | P value* | Yes | P value* | |
450 (100.0) N (%) | 150 (33.3) N (%) | 150 (33.3) N (%) | 150 (33.3) N (%) | 224 (49.8) N (%) | |||
Place of Residence | |||||||
Urban | 143 (39.6) | 31 (37.3) | 49 (38.3) | 63 (42.0) | 0.73 | 61 (42.6) | 0.28 |
Rural | 218 (60.4) | 52 (62.7) | 79 (61.7) | 87 (58.0) | 106 (48.6) | ||
Religion | |||||||
Hindu | 303 (67.3) | 98 (65.3) | 89 (59.3) | 116 (77.3) | 0.02 | 140 (46.2) | 0.04 |
Christian | 86 (19.1) | 31 (20.7) | 37 (24.7) | 18 (12.0) | 53 (61.6) | ||
Muslim | 61 (13.6) | 21 (14.0) | 24 (16.0) | 16 (10.7) | 31 (50.8) | ||
Education | |||||||
Primary and Secondary | 212 (47.1) | 45 (30.0) | 68 (45.3) | 99 (66.0) | < 0.01 | 84 (39.6) | < 0.01 |
Higher Secondary | 146 (32.4) | 68 (45.3.) | 40 (26.7) | 38 (25.3) | 83 (56.8) | ||
Graduate and Above | 92 (20.4) | 37 (24.7) | 42 (28.0) | 13 (8.7) | 57 (61.9) | ||
Occupation | |||||||
Unemployed | 362 (80.4) | 96 (64.0) | 127 (84.7) | 139 (92.7) | < 0.01 | 167 (46.1) | < 0.01 |
Employed | 88 (19.6) | 54 (36.0) | 23 (15.3) | 11 (7.3) | 57 (64.7) | ||
Socio-economic status | |||||||
Middle | 134 (29.8) | 39 (26) | 46 (30.7) | 49 (32.7) | 0.41 | 60 (44.8) | 0.18 |
Low | 316 (70.2) | 111 (74.0) | 104 (69.3) | 101 (67.3) | 164 (51.9) | ||
Frequency of eating sugary foods | |||||||
< 3 times/day | 149 (33.1) | 64 (42.7) | 34 (22.7) | 51 (34.0) | < 0.01 | 77 (51.7) | 0.85 |
3–5 times/day | 211 (46.9) | 60 (40.0) | 77 (51.3) | 74 (49.3) | 103 (48.8) | ||
> 5 times/day | 90 (20.0) | 26 (17.3) | 39 (26.0) | 25 (16.7) | 44 (48.9) | ||
Frequency of brushing | |||||||
Regular (Brush > 1/day) | 240 (53.3) | 87 (58.0) | 85 (56.7) | 68 (45.3) | 0.09 | 126 (52.5) | 0.30 |
Irregular (Brush ≤1/day) | 210 (46.7) | 63 (42.0) | 65 (43.3) | 82 (54.7) | 98 (46.7) | ||
Bleeding while brushing | |||||||
No | 230 (51.1) | 99 (66.0) | 51 (34.0) | 80 (53.3) | < 0.01 | 117 (50.9) | 0.64 |
Yes | 220 (48.9) | 51 (34.0) | 99 (66.0) | 70 (46.7) | 107 (48.6) | ||
Dental problems (last 6 months) | |||||||
No | 211 (46.9) | 82 (54.7) | 58 (38.7) | 71 (47.3) | 0.02 | 95 (45.0) | 0.06 |
Yes | 239 (53.1) | 68 (45.3) | 92 (61.3) | 79 (52.7) | 129 (54.0) | ||
Sought dental care (last 6 months) | |||||||
No | 226 (50.2) | 38 (25.3) | 60 (40.0) | 128 (85.3) | < 0.01 | ||
Yes | 224 (49.8) | 112 (74.7) | 90 (60.0) | 22 (14.7) | |||
Barriers to dental care during pregnancy | |||||||
Lack of need | 111 (24.7) | 63 (42.0) | 30 (20.0) | 18 (12.0) | < 0.01 | 68 (61.3) | < 0.01 |
Fear | 38 (8.4) | 11 (7.3) | 13 (8.7) | 14 (9.3) | 15 (39.5) | ||
Concern for child’s safety | 249 (55.3) | 61 (40.7) | 94 (62.7) | 94 (62.7) | 124 (49.8) | ||
Financial issues | 52 (11.6) | 15 (10.0) | 13 (8.7) | 24 (16.0) | 17 (32.7) | ||
Advised on seeking dental care | |||||||
No | 402 (89.3) | 133 (88.7) | 136 (90.7) | 133 (88.7) | 0.81 | 199 (49.5) | 0.43 |
Yes | 48 (10.7) | 17 (11.3) | 14 (9.3) | 17 (11.3) | 25 (52.1) | ||
Dental diseases lead to other medical conditions | |||||||
No | 419 (93.1) | 133 (88.7) | 136 (90.7) | 150 (100.0) | < 0.01 | 203 (48.4) | 0.04 |
Yes | 31 (6.9) | 17 (11.3) | 14 (9.3) | 0 (0.0) | 21 (67.7) | ||
Bleeding from gums is normal during pregnancy | |||||||
No | 124 (27.6) | 41 (27.3) | 43 (28.7) | 40 (26.7) | 0.99 | 61 (49.2) | 0.48 |
Yes | 326 (72.4) | 109 (72.7) | 107 (71.3) | 110 (73.3) | 163 (52.0) | ||
Self-reported oral health status | |||||||
Good | 43 (9.6) | 26 (17.3) | 8 (5.3) | 9 (6.0) | < 0.01 | 26 (60.5) | < 0.01 |
Moderate | 284 (63.1) | 108 (72.0) | 96 (64.0) | 80 (53.3) | 151 (53.2) | ||
Poor | 123 (27.3) | 16 (10.7) | 46 (30.7) | 61 (40.7) | 47 (38.2) | ||
Self-rating of general health | |||||||
Good | 58 (12.9) | 46 (30.7) | 9 (6.0) | 3 (2.0) | < 0.01 | 39 (67.2) | < 0.01 |
Moderate | 268 (59.6) | 92 (61.3) | 98 (65.3) | 78 (52.0) | 135 (50.4) | ||
Poor | 124 (27.6) | 12 (8.0) | 43 (28.7) | 69 (46.0) | 50 (40.3) | ||