Effect of educational interventions in improving oral and dental health promotion behaviors in pregnant women: a systematic review

Oral and dental health is essential for mothers and fetus during pregnancy. Ignoring this issue influences not only oral problems but also other body systems of both mother and fetus. One of the practical strategies in this regard is health education. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of educational interventions on improving oral and dental health promotion behaviors in pregnant women.
Electronic search was performed from the beginning of January first 2016 until the end of May 2016 using Persian and English key words from information bank websites (Iran Medex), Scientific Information Database (SID), PubMed, Science direct, Web of Science, and Embase. And, studies in which effects of educational interventions had been investigated were selected.
Most of the studies were of controlled clinical trial using the models and theories of health education and health promotion. Further interventions were in the form of training, examination and instrumental support, and time different.
Health education has a significant influence on improving oral and dental health promotion behaviors in pregnant women. But using theories and models has the feature of specifying the most important factors affecting the issue and then determining a suitable strategy.