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CC BY 4.0 · European Journal of General Dentistry
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1806946
Original Article

Maternal Factors Influencing Infant Oral Health Knowledge and Beliefs among Pregnant Women in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Madiraju Guna Shekhar
1   Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
,
Abdulhakim Essa Alhowail
2   College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
,
Yousef Majed Almugla
1   Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
,
Sajith Abraham
1   Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
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Funding None.
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess the knowledge and beliefs regarding infant oral health care among Saudi pregnant women and identify influencing factors.

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 235 pregnant Saudi women attending prenatal clinics in AlAhsa, Eastern region of Saudi Arabia from November 2023 to March 2024. Data were collected using a validated, self-administered questionnaire assessing demographic information, infant oral health knowledge (IOK), and infant oral health beliefs (IOB). Data were analyzed using chi-squared tests and multiple linear regression.

Results

The mean age of participants was 29.27 ± 3.45 years, with 56.5% being multiparous. Most respondents (64.1%) had completed college or university education. Only 36.3% reported regular dental visits during pregnancy. Multiparous women demonstrated significantly higher IOK scores compared with primiparous women (p = 0.013), while IOB scores were comparable (p = 0.087). Regression analysis revealed that birth history and education significantly predicted IOK scores (R 2 = 0.561; p < 0.001), while education, maternal age, and dental visits during pregnancy significantly predicted IOB scores (R 2 = 0.266; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study highlights the significant influence of birth history, education, maternal age, and dental visits during pregnancy on maternal knowledge and beliefs regarding infant oral health. These findings underscore the need for targeted, culturally sensitive educational interventions and increased health care provider engagement to promote oral health awareness and behaviors among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords

infant oral health - pregnant women - knowledge - beliefs - birth history - parity

Ethical Approval

This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Faisal University, Alahsa, Saudi Arabia (Ref: KFU-REC-2023-OCT-ETHICS1566). Written informed consent was obtained from all the subjects involved in the study.


Authors' Contributions

The concept and design of the study were developed by M.G.S. and A.E.A. Data acquisition was done by A.E.A. Data analysis and interpretation were done by M.G.S. and A.E.A. Drafting of the article was done by M.G.S. Revising article for important intellectual content was done by S.A. and Y.M.A. All the authors have critically reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and are responsible for the similarity index of the manuscript.


Data Availability Statement

Data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Article published online:
25 April 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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