Health education as a strategy for the promotion of oral health in the pregnancy period

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 269
• Main Authors: Reis, Deise Moreira, Pitta, Daniela Rocha, Ferreira, Helena Maria Barbosa, de Jesus, Maria Cristina Pinto, de Moraes, Mari Eli Leonelli, Soares, Milton Gonçalves
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Brazil 01-01-2010
• Subjects: Dental Caries - epidemiology; Female; Health Education; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Oral Health; Periodontal Diseases - epidemiology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 1678-4561
• DOI: 10.1590/S1413-81232010000100032

This literature revision is intended to discuss the importance of health education as a strategy to oral health promotion in the pregnancy period. The most common mouth manifestations during pregnancy have been studied, and the conclusion is that, although pregnancy itself is not responsible for such manifestations in the mouth, e.g. dental decay and periodontal diseases, a dentistry follow-up during prenatal care is necessary, considering that hormonal alterations in pregnancy may aggravate the diseases contracted. The oral health promotion for pregnant women has been focused on mouth health education, considering it an important part of the Program of Attention to Women's Health, as recommended by the current National Politics' Mouth Health Policy. It is considered that, by means of mouth health education activities, implemented during prenatal care by a multiprofessional team, under an oral surgeon, women may be aware of the importance of their role in the attainment and maintenance of positive mouth health habits in family environment and act as an agent to multiply preventive and mouth-health-promotion information.