Oral Health-Related Quality of Life during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

Objective: High prevalence of Dental and periodontal problems during the gestation period may have a negative effect on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in pregnant women. This systematic review aimed to perform a quality assessment and provide a critical overview of the current research available on OHRQoL in pregnant women. Methods: For this systemic review, all original and peer-reviewed human studies, which investigated OHRQoL of women during pregnancy or post- partum period, were searched. Studies were screened in title and abstract for the relevance by two independent investigators. Methodological quality was assessed using modified items recommended by the Newcastle -Ottawa Scale for observational studies. Results: All of the eight included studies had a cross-sectional design. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the heterogeneity of key aspects among the included studies. Thus, the data from the studies were evaluated qualitatively. The overall risk of bias of the included studies was low. Conclusion: The main conclusion of this review is that the presence of signs and symptoms of dental and gingival disease negatively affects the self-perception of OHRQoL in pregnant women. The most affected domains of OHRQoL in pregnant women were related to mental and psychological discomfort, followed by physical and functional problems.