Evaluation of the effect of the oral health plan for pregnant women on their children in Lo Barnechea, Chile

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the educational effect of the Oral Health Plan for Pregnant Women implemented at CESFAM (Family Health Center) in the Municipality of Lo Barnechea, Chile, since 2010, on the oral health of their children at 2 years of age. Materials and methods. Descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study. Information from 129 children attending their first dental care appointment was analyzed. The presence of poor dental habits, tooth decay and cariogenic risk level was determined. The sample was analyzed according to independent variables: mothers who had been discharged from the Oral Health Plan, mothers who had not participated in the plan and a subgroup of the first one where mothers had a mother-child dental check-up when the infant turned 6 months. Results. There were no significant differences regarding the presence of decay or poor habits in the groups studied. There was a significant association between the mothers who had been discharged from the Oral Health Plan and lower daily consumption (p < 0.005) of sugary foods. The group that had been discharged from the Oral Health Plan and had had a motherchild check-up when the infant was 6 months old had a high significant association with low cariogenic risk (p < 0.005). Conclusion. No significant differences between the groups were found in most of the variables studied. This proves that the Oral Health Plan for Pregnant Woman implemented in CESFAM, Municipality of Lo Barnechea, Chile, does not have the expected effect regarding the improvement of the children's oral health at 2 years of age.