Obstetricians' knowledge and practice behaviors concerning periodontal health and preterm delivery and low birth weight.

INTRODUCTION: Investigators have reported that periodontal disease may be a risk factor for pregnancy complications including preterm delivery (PTD) and low birth weight (LBW). This study assessed obstetricians' knowledge and practice behaviors concerning periodontal disease and its role in adverse...

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Published in:Journal of Dental Hygiene Vol. 81; no. 4; pp. 81 - 82
Main Authors: Wilder R, Robinson C, Jared HL, Lieff S, Boggess K
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: American Dental Hygienists Association Fall2007
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Fall2007
      vid: 81
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      pub: American Dental Hygienists Association
      place: Chicago, Illinois
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        atl: Obstetricians' knowledge and practice behaviors concerning periodontal health and preterm delivery and low birth weight.
      aug:
        au:
          Wilder R
          Robinson C
          Jared HL
          Lieff S
          Boggess K
        affil: University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. RebeccaW@adha.net
      sug:
        subj:
          Childbirth, Premature
          Infant, Low Birth Weight
          Knowledge
          Obstetric Care
          Periodontitis
          Physician Attitudes
          Professional Practice
          Specialties, Medical
          Academic Medical Centers
          Chi Square Test
          Data Analysis Software
          Descriptive Research
          Descriptive Statistics
          Female
          Fisher's Exact Test
          Funding Source
          Gingivitis
          Mail
          Nonexperimental Studies
          North Carolina
          Physician-Patient Relations
          Pilot Studies
          Pregnancy
          Risk Factors
          Sample Size
          Scales
          Schools, Dental North Carolina
          Summated Rating Scaling
          Human
          Female
      ab: INTRODUCTION: Investigators have reported that periodontal disease may be a risk factor for pregnancy complications including preterm delivery (PTD) and low birth weight (LBW). This study assessed obstetricians' knowledge and practice behaviors concerning periodontal disease and its role in adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: One hundred ninety four practicing obstetricians in a 5 county area in central North Carolina were surveyed. Of the 138 eligible physicians, 55 responded yielding a 40% response rate. RESULTS: Most answered correctly when asked about the description of gingivitis (95%). A lower number of respondents were correct when asked about the description of periodontitis (67%). When asked about what causes periodontal disease or what is associated with periodontal disease, most answered correctly with bacteria (94%), although many answered tooth decay (73%), aging (69%), and excess dietary sugar (51%). Most were correct in responding that periodontitis was more serious than gingivitis (80%). Twenty-two percent looked into patients' mouths at initial prenatal examination, 9% periodically, and 48% only when a problem was mentioned by the patient. Forty-nine percent rarely or never recommended a dental examination. Most (84%) considered periodontal disease to be as important a risk factor to adverse pregnancy events as those currently known in obstetrics practice. CONCLUSIONS: Data from this study demonstrate that there is knowledge of periodontal disease and its potential role as a pregnancy risk factor but suggest limited incorporation of dental care into clinical medical practice.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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