The Effect of Educational Program on Dental Plaque and Caring Performance of Pregnant Mothers

This study aimed to determine the effect of educational program on dental plaque and caring performance of pregnant mothers in the city of Rasht.
In this randomized controlled trial study, 110 pregnant mothers referring to 33 health centers in Rasht were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The data regarding to the demographic characteristics of mothers, a validated questionnaire based on health belief model constructs, dental plaque index and caring performance of oral and dental hygiene were collected. After analyzing the pre-test data, experimental group received an educational intervention based on the health belief model (HBM). Three months after the intervention program, oral and dental hygiene were performed. The two groups were compared using analysis of covariance.
At baseline, there was no significant difference in dental plaque index between intervention (Mean = 36.3, SD = 15.2) and control groups (mean = 37.4, SD = 17.5). Three months after the intervention the mean score of dental plaque index in the intervention group decreased to 21.3 (SD = 12.1) that was significantly lower than the control group (mean = 44.7, SD = 16.8). Post-baseline dental caring performance score in the intervention group (mean = 77.3, SD = 9.3) was significantly higher than the control group (mean = 49.6, SD = 14.4).
The findings of the study indicated that education and training can be very effective in marinating oral and dental health during pregnancy.