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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · AJP Rep 2019; 09(03): e268-e274
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1695003
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Population-Based Estimation of Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease Rates of Gravid and Recently Postpartum Women in Lilongwe, Malawi

Kathleen M. Antony 
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, One Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
3   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
,
Peter N. Kazembe
4   Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine Children's Clinical Center of Excellence, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
,
Ryan M. Pace
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
,
Judy Levison
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
,
Jesse Mlotha-Namarika
5   Dental Department, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
,
Henry Phiri
6   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
,
Grace Chiudzu
6   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
,
R. Alan Harris
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
,
Joshua Aagaard
7   St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota
,
Nicholas Twyman
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
,
Susan M. Ramin
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, One Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
8   American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2915 Vine Street, Dallas, Texas
,
Susan P. Raine
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
,
Michael A. Belfort
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, One Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
,
Kjersti M. Aagaard
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas
2   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, One Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
› Author Affiliations Financial Support USAID/Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenges Grant: AID-OAA-G-11-00062. (K. Aagaard); E.W. Al Thrasher Foundation (K. Aagaard); March of Dimes Prematurity Research Initiative (K. Aagaard, S. Raine); NIH K12 GM084897 by National Institute of Health (R. Pace).
Further Information

Publication History

01 June 2019

15 June 2019

Publication Date:
20 August 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the rate of dental caries and periodontal disease among gravid and recently postpartum women at five delivery centers within and surrounding Lilongwe, Malawi.

Study Design We partnered with obstetric specialists, community health workers, and dentists to perform dental history interviews and dental examinations during the study period from December 2012 to May 2014. Dental examinations were performed according to World Health Organization standards to assess periodontal and oral health status.

Results Among the 387 gravid and recently postpartum women, the rate of dental caries was 69.3% and the rate of composite dental disease (caries and periodontal disease) was 76.7%. The majority (69.5%) of women examined had a decayed-missing-filled (DMF) index greater than or equal to one; the average DMF Index was 2.48. The majority of women had never seen a dentist (62.8%). However, most did perform oral hygiene, two or more times per day (90.2%); most women reported brushing with toothpaste (88.1%).

Conclusion When assessing this population for dental caries and periodontal disease, the rate of dental disease was high. Therefore, this may be an ideal setting to test for impactful interventions aimed at reducing caries and periodontal disease.

Keywords

pregnancy - preterm birth - Malawi - dental caries - periodontal disease - global health

Financial Support

USAID/Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenges Grant: AID-OAA-G-11–00062. (K. Aagaard); E.W. Al Thrasher Foundation (K. Aagaard); March of Dimes Prematurity Research Initiative (K. Aagaard, S. Raine); NIH K12 GM084897 by National Institute of Health (R. Pace).


Paper Presentation Information

Data from this paper were presented as a poster presentation at the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine's 34th Annual Meeting—The Pregnancy Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February 3–8, 2014, Abstract Number 522 and the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine's 36th Annual Meeting—The Pregnancy Meeting, Atlanta, GA, February 1–6, 2016, Abstract Number 549.