Background

Good oral health is a fungamental component of pregnant women overall health and quality of life.

Objective

To determine the proportion of dental services utilisation and the reasons for non utilisation among women receiving antenatal care at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

Methods

A cross-sectional study of all pregnant women receiving antenatal care in a Nigerian teaching hospital (LASUTH) between July and September 2008 was conducted. The study assessed the women's opinions on regular dental visits, dental visits during pregnancy, the frequency of utilization of oral health services before and during pregnancy and their reasons for non-attendance.

Results

Three hundred and forty two (342) pregnant women with age range 18 to 44 years (mean 30.37+/-4.5) participated in the study. Only 163 respondents (33.0%) reported ever visiting a dentist, 24 (7.0%) had done so just before or during the present pregnancy. Among the dental clinic attendees the commonest reason for attendance was pain (88 women or 53.9%). Majority (62%) of those who had never visited a dentist attributed their non-attendance to the absence of dental pain. There was a significant relationship between the respondent's age and the utilization of dental services (p< 0.001). The older women had utilised dental services more often than their younger counterparts. Educational level and ethnic grouping were not significantly related to their use of dental services.

Conclusion

A high proportion of women receiving antenatal care at LASUTH do not visit the dentist regularly. It is important to provide women in the reproductive age with information on the benefit of regular dental care especially during pregnancy.