Oral Health Status of Women Attending Public Clinics in Relation to Marital Status

Background Some risk factors may place women at higher risk to develop dental caries and periodontal disease especially in developing countries. Neglected oral hygiene during pregnancy and women great responsibility could be part of these factors. Aims of the study This study was designed to determine the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal health status among women according to the marital status of them. Subjects and methods This study was conducted in public clinics of Baghdad city, among women with age range 30-35 years old. Caries experience and periodontal health status were determined by the Decayed- Missing Filled Surfaces (DMFS) index, gingival index and calculus index. The sample was divided in to five groups according to the marital status or number of siblings. Results The total sample was 200 women. No statistical significant differences were found in mean values of gingival and calculus index among the five groups. The mean value of caries experience was the highest among women with more than three children and the lowest among women with no children with highly statistical significant differences (P-values 0.01). Conclusion Attention to women oral health status should be increased and an effective dental health care program should be made to achieve the standard of oral hygiene especially during pregnancy