Ahmed Sanaa, Shah Hina, Hussain Afreen, Riafat Saba, Shaheen Maria Naz, Qureshi Nauyaan Ahmed
Oral Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Community Dentistry, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.
BMC Oral Health. 2025 May 31;25(1):858. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-06285-8.
The objectives were to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to referrals for oral lesions from the perspectives of antenatal care providers and dentists, as well as the frequency of referrals to dental clinics at the same facility.
A mixed-method study was conducted in the Gynaecology, Obstetrics, and Dental Departments of one public-sector and one private hospital from October 2024 to January 2025.The study included antenatal care and dental care providers and utilized purposive sampling. Two structured questionnaires, validated through a pilot study, were administered via Google Forms. Ethical approval was obtained, and confidentiality was maintained. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, and incomplete responses were excluded. Descriptive statistics were performed for numerical data, while thematic analysis was conducted for open-ended responses.
A total of 30 participants took part in the study, including 5 from a private hospital and 25 from a public-sector hospital, further divided into 17 dentists and 13 antenatal care providers. The majority (69.2%) of ANC workers had knowledge of oral lesions during pregnancy, yet only 53.8% provided awareness to pregnant women. The most common oral lesion was gum bleeding (20.5%), whereas the key challenge in treatment included a lack of guidelines (34.5%). A total of 61.5% of the participants incorporated oral health checkups into their medical history, and 84.6% collaborated with other health professionals. Additionally, recurrence, time constraints, and superstitious beliefs pose challenges for healthcare providers.
Despite awareness, gaps exist in knowledge, patient education, and systemic support. Integrating oral health screening into maternal care and improving collaboration may enhance patient outcomes. Poor periodontal health has been linked to low birth weight, preterm delivery, and preeclampsia.
从产前护理提供者和牙医的角度评估口腔病变转诊的知识、态度和障碍，以及同一机构内转诊至牙科诊所的频率。
2024年10月至2025年1月，在一家公立医院和一家私立医院的妇产科和牙科部门进行了一项混合方法研究。该研究包括产前护理和牙科护理提供者，并采用了目的抽样法。通过预试验验证的两份结构化问卷通过谷歌表单进行发放。获得了伦理批准，并保持了保密性。使用SPSS 27版对数据进行分析，排除不完整的回复。对数值数据进行描述性统计，对开放式回复进行主题分析。
共有30名参与者参与了该研究，其中5名来自私立医院，25名来自公立医院，进一步分为17名牙医和13名产前护理提供者。大多数（69.2%）的产前护理人员了解孕期口腔病变，但只有53.8%的人向孕妇进行了宣传。最常见的口腔病变是牙龈出血（20.5%），而治疗中的主要挑战包括缺乏指导方针（34.5%）。共有61.5%的参与者将口腔健康检查纳入病史，84.6%的人与其他卫生专业人员合作。此外，复发、时间限制和迷信观念给医疗保健提供者带来了挑战。
尽管有一定认识，但在知识、患者教育和系统支持方面仍存在差距。将口腔健康筛查纳入孕产妇护理并改善合作可能会提高患者的治疗效果。牙周健康状况不佳与低出生体重、早产和先兆子痫有关。
