Evaluating the Relationship between DMFT Index and Quality of Life of Pregnant Women in Hamadan

Abstract Background: Pregnancy is one the most important stages of life for women. It causes local changes in the oral cavity, which may affect the quality of life of pregnant women. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between DMFT index and Quality of Life (QoL) of pregnant women in Hamadan in 2019. Methods : In this cross-sectional study, 220 pregnant women living in Hamadan city were selected by cluster and convenient sampling methods. Demographic information, quality of life and DMFT index of the participants were assessed. The quality of life associated with the oral cavity was assessed by the standardized OHIP14 questionnaire, and the DMFT index was assessed based on the WHO questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS-16 software at the significant level of P <0.05. Results : The mean age of the pregnant women was 25.35 ± 2.9 years. The mean DMFT in the pregnant women was 11.15 ± 4.8. The decayed tooth with a mean of 5.56 ± 3.6, the filled tooth without a decay with a mean of 3.93 ± 2.9, and missing teeth due to decay with a mean of 1.66 ± 1.6 had the highest frequency among women. The mean score of quality of life was 6.99 ± 8.8. The results revealed a significant and positive relationship between the quality of life and the DMFT index (P≤0.001). Conclusion : The results of this study revealed that with increasing DMFT index, and the number of filled, decayed, and missing teeth, the quality of life pregnant women decreases. Hence, due to the importance of pregnancy, it is essential for pregnant women to receive the necessary trainings on oral hygiene through health service providers and mass media programs.