Background: Pregnant women are more susceptible to 
periodontal disease and it may be associated with adverse 
pregnancy outcomes. 
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess women’s 
knowledge and attitude towards oral and dental health during 
pregnancy and to observe their self-care practices in relation to 
oral and dental health.  
Methods and Materials: This is a cross-sectional descriptive and 
analytical study conducted at the parental clinic. The study groups 
were included of 450 pregnant women attending in the clinic 
using convenience sampling method. A self-administered 
validated questionnaire was used. Statistical analysis done using 
SPSS version 22. 
Results: Of the total study group, 450 responded to the 
questionnaire and participated in the study. All the women 
brushed at least twice daily. However, only 40% flossed daily, 
31.1% brushed after meals and 24.2% had a dental check-up at 
least twice a year. The knowledge among them related to dental 
health care was also poor. Though the majority (88.9%) agreed 
that women should have a dental check-up during pregnancy, 
only 42% actually do practice. This raises serious concern since 
pregnant women may need extra oral and dental care due to 
susceptibility to gingival diseases during pregnancy, which may 
contribute to low birth weight babies and premature births. 

Conclusion: This study highlights important gaps in dental  
knowledge and practices related to oral and dental healthcare 
among pregnant women. More intense dental health education, 
including oral health promotion in maternal child health centers 
can lead to improved oral and dental health, and ultimately 
pregnancy outcomes. 

Keywords: Attitude; Oral health; Knowledge; Oral hygiene 
Practice; Pregnancy