Obstetricians' knowledge of periodontal disease as a potential risk factor for preterm delivery and low birth weight

There is little information about the knowledge and attitudes of physicians regarding oral care. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of obstetricians about the relationship between periodontal disease and preterm/low birth weight. A questionnaire was emailed to members of the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FEBRASGO). The questionnaire elicited both personal information and knowledge and attitudes regarding the relationship between periodontal diseases and preterm labor. A total of 875 obstetricians responded to the questionnaire. The majority of respondents were female (54.1 percent), resided in the Southeast (45.6 percent), worked in both the public and private sectors (61.4 percent), and had over 15 years of experience in obstetrics (48.9 percent). A large proportion of obstetricians (93.4 percent) stated that bacteria were associated with periodontal disease, and 94 percent reported that periodontitis was a condition more severe than gingivitis. In total, over 80 percent of participating obstetricians reported smoking, preeclampsia, bacterial vaginosis and periodontal disease as risk factors or possible risk factors for preterm birth or low birth weight. A correlation between the experience of the obstetricians and referral of their patients for dental examinations (p < 0.001) was observed. Also, obstetricians who had had their own dental visits more recently were more likely to recommend the same for their patients (p < 0.001). It is concluded that, although obstetricians were aware of the association between gingival inflammation and adverse obstetric outcomes, the attitudes of these professionals were not in agreement with their apparent knowledge regarding periodontal diseases and their possible repercussions.

Custo, efetividade e custo-efetividade do tratamento periodontal em gestantes / Cost, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness of systematic periodontal treatment performed on pregnant women

Análises econômicas em saúde bucal são escassas na literatura e, portanto, muitasdas práticas, especialmente aquelas propostas e realizadas nos sistemas públicos de saúde em diferentes países, são realizadas sem o conhecimento de seus aspectos econômicos. Na maioria dos países, os recursos destinados à saúde são limitados e, portanto, carecem de análises econômicas para que se tenha base científica para a proposição e implementação de diretrizes de atenção à saúde.O presente estudo trata de uma análise econômica em saúde bucal que teve porobjetivo avaliar o custo, a efetividade e o custo-efetividade do tratamento periodontal sistemático, comparando-o com o tratamento convencional realizado em gestantes no Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, na perspectiva do Sistema Único deSaúde, partindo de dados já coletados nos prontuários de 213 pacientes. O custo do tratamento periodontal sistemático e o ofertado pelo HMIPV foram estimados a partir do somatório dos custos de todas as consultas de exames periodontais, instruçõesde higiene bucal. raspagens alisamentos e polimentos supragengivais e raspagem e alisamento radiculares subgengivais por gestante. O tratamento periodontal sistemático custou R$ 442,80, levando em média 8,23 consultas por gestante, e o tempo médio gasto para a realização do tratamento foi de 6 horas e 35 minutos. O tratamento periodontal ofertado pelo HMIPV teve um custo médio de R$ 144,05 e uma média de2,96 consulta por paciente; o tempo total médio para a realização desse tratamento foi de 2 horas e 15 minutos. A razão de custo-efetividade para se controlar a doença periodontal por gestante mediante o tratamento periodontal sistemático é de R$ 6,91e de R$ 9,50 pelo tratamento ofertado pelo HMIPV. Os resultados do presenteestudo permitem concluir que o tratamento periodontal sistemático é custo-efetivo em reduzir processo inflamatório periodontal, não sendo influenciado diretamente por tabagismo, renda e escolaridade.

Economic analyses of oral health are scarce in the literature and therefore many of the practices, especially those proposed and implemented in public health systems in different countries, are performed without the knowledge of its economic aspects. In most countries, resources for health are limited and therefore lack economic analyses in order to have a scientific basis for proposing and implementing policiesfor health care. This study deals with an economic analysis of oral health that aims to assess the cost, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of systematic periodontal treatment, compared with conventional treatment performed on pregnant women in the Maternal and Child Hospital Presidente Vargas, the prospect of health system, based on data already collected from medical records of 213 patients. The cost ofperiodontal treatment were estimated from the sum of the costs of all queriesincluding periodontal examinations, oral hygiene instructions, supragingival andsubgingival scaling per pregnant women. The systematic periodontal treatment cost was R$ 442.80, taking an average of 8.23 consultations per pregnant woman, and the average time taken for completion of treatment was 6 hours and 35 minutes. Periodontal treatment offered by HMIPV had an average cost of R$ 144.05 and anaverage of 2.96 consultations per patient, the average total time to perform this treatment was 2 hours and 15 minutes. The cost-effectiveness ratio to control periodontal disease in pregnant women through systematic periodontal treatment is R$ 6.91 and R$ 9.50 for the treatment offered by HMIPV. The results of this studyallow us to conclude that the systematic periodontal treatment is cost-effective inreducing periodontal inflammation and is not directly influenced by smoking, income and education.