Resumo

MATTOS, Bruna Naiara de Carvalho  e  DAVOGLIO, Rosane Silvia. Oral health: the voice of pregnant women. RFO UPF [online]. 2015, vol.20, n.3, pp. 393-399. ISSN 1413-4012.

Objective: To verify knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of pregnant women on their oral health through a systematic literature review. Materials and method: The search was performed in SCIELO, BBO, and LILACS databases, including scientific articles, dissertations, and theses published between 2004 and 2014. One single reviewer assessed the abstracts and selected publications that met the eligibility criteria, amounting to twelve. These were grouped according to their purpose: studies on knowledge (2), perception (5), self-perception (2), and social representation (3) of pregnant women on oral health. Results: The results showed the existence of misinformation, low demand for dentists, and lack of referral from obstetricians to dental assessment. Pregnant women associate oral health with hygiene and esthetic appearance issues, and fear of the dental procedure is still an obstacle for service. Most pregnant women have a positive oral health self-perception, although this is not consistent with the clinical condition, and most of social representations indicate myths and beliefs about oral health. Final considerations: Quantitative and qualitative investigations regarding knowledge and perceptions of pregnant women on their own oral health are important tools in building protection approaches and health promotion.

Palavras-chave : Pregnant women; Oral health; Perception.