Resumo OBJETIVO: descrever as características dos cuidados de saúde bucal durante o acompanhamento pré-natal e o conhecimento sobre saúde bucal entre gestantes usuárias de serviços de saúde público e privado em São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo com 300 gestantes entrevistadas em serviço público e 300 em serviço privado, no período de agosto de 2007 a julho de 2008. RESULTADOS: a frequência de escovação dentária foi similar entre as usuárias dos serviços público e privado (p=0,156), enquanto o uso de fio dental (64,0% e 47,0%; p<0,001) e de colutórios (39,7% e 27,0%; p=0,001) foi mais frequente no serviço privado, em relação ao público; a maioria das usuárias, tanto do serviço público (60,3%) como do privado (65,7%), desconheciam a associação entre saúde bucal e gravidez. CONCLUSÃO: a frequência de escovação dentária foi similar entre gestantes dos serviços público e privado; os efeitos da gestação sobre a saúde bucal eram pouco conhecidos.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: to describe characteristics of oral health care during prenatal check-ups and knowledge about oral health among pregnant women using public and private health services in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. METHODS: this is a descriptive study of 300 women interviewed in public health services and a further 300 interviewed in private health services between August 2007 and July 2008. RESULTS: tooth brushing frequency was similar among users of public and private services (p=0.156), while flossing (64.0% and 47.0%; p<0.001) and mouthwashing (39.7% and 27.0%; p=0.001) was more frequent among private service users in relation to public service users; most users of public services (60.3%) and private services (65.7%) were unaware of the association between oral health and pregnancy. CONCLUSION: frequency of tooth brushing was similar among pregnant women in public and private services; the effects of pregnancy on oral health were not well known.

Resumen OBJETIVO: identificar las características de los cuidados en salud oral durante el prenatal y el conocimiento acerca de salud oral entre gestantes de servicios de salud públicos y privados en São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudio descriptivo de 300 mujeres entrevistadas en servicio público y 300 en servicio privado, entre agosto de 2007 y julio de 2008. RESULTADOS: la frecuencia del cepillado dental fue similar entre usuarias de servicios públicos y privados (p=0,156), mientras que el uso de hilo dental (64,0% y 47,0%, p<0,001) y enjuagues bucales (39,7% y 27,0%, p=0,001) fue más frecuente en el servicio particular; la mayoría de las usuarias de los servicios públicos (60,3%) y privados (65,7%) no eran conscientes de la asociación de salud oral y embarazo. CONCLUSIÓN: la frecuencia cepillado dental fue similar entre las mujeres embarazadas en los servicios públicos y privados; los efectos del embarazo en la salud bucal eran poco conocidos.

Resumo OBJETIVO: descrever as características dos cuidados de saúde bucal durante o acompanhamento pré-natal e o conhecimento sobre saúde bucal entre gestantes usuárias de serviços de saúde público e privado em São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo descritivo com 300 gestantes entrevistadas em serviço público e 300 em serviço privado, no período de agosto de 2007 a julho de 2008. RESULTADOS: a frequência de escovação dentária foi similar entre as usuárias dos serviços público e privado (p=0,156), enquanto o uso de fio dental (64,0% e 47,0%; p<0,001) e de colutórios (39,7% e 27,0%; p=0,001) foi mais frequente no serviço privado, em relação ao público; a maioria das usuárias, tanto do serviço público (60,3%) como do privado (65,7%), desconheciam a associação entre saúde bucal e gravidez. CONCLUSÃO: a frequência de escovação dentária foi similar entre gestantes dos serviços público e privado; os efeitos da gestação sobre a saúde bucal eram pouco conhecidos.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: to describe characteristics of oral health care during prenatal check-ups and knowledge about oral health among pregnant women using public and private health services in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. METHODS: this is a descriptive study of 300 women interviewed in public health services and a further 300 interviewed in private health services between August 2007 and July 2008. RESULTS: tooth brushing frequency was similar among users of public and private services (p=0.156), while flossing (64.0% and 47.0%; p<0.001) and mouthwashing (39.7% and 27.0%; p=0.001) was more frequent among private service users in relation to public service users; most users of public services (60.3%) and private services (65.7%) were unaware of the association between oral health and pregnancy. CONCLUSION: frequency of tooth brushing was similar among pregnant women in public and private services; the effects of pregnancy on oral health were not well known.

Resumen OBJETIVO: identificar las características de los cuidados en salud oral durante el prenatal y el conocimiento acerca de salud oral entre gestantes de servicios de salud públicos y privados en São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudio descriptivo de 300 mujeres entrevistadas en servicio público y 300 en servicio privado, entre agosto de 2007 y julio de 2008. RESULTADOS: la frecuencia del cepillado dental fue similar entre usuarias de servicios públicos y privados (p=0,156), mientras que el uso de hilo dental (64,0% y 47,0%, p<0,001) y enjuagues bucales (39,7% y 27,0%, p=0,001) fue más frecuente en el servicio particular; la mayoría de las usuarias de los servicios públicos (60,3%) y privados (65,7%) no eran conscientes de la asociación de salud oral y embarazo. CONCLUSIÓN: la frecuencia cepillado dental fue similar entre las mujeres embarazadas en los servicios públicos y privados; los efectos del embarazo en la salud bucal eran poco conocidos.

Salivary IgA can serve as a first line of defense against pathogens that colonize and invade mucosal surfaces and may be protective against periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to assess salivary immunoglobulin A levels in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with different periodontal treatment needs. The Periodontal Screening & Recording (PSR) system was used to evaluate the periodontal treatment needs of 41 diabetic and 42 non-diabetic patients. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from each patient immediately before clinical examination and stored at -20 °C until analysis. Salivary immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and values were expressed as optical density. Diabetic and non-diabetic patients were compared using clinical and laboratory data. PSR data indicated that periodontal disease was more frequent and more severe in diabetic patients. A higher prevalence of codes 3 and 4 was observed in diabetics as compared with non-diabetics (odds ratio = 2, P < 0.05). Furthermore, non-diabetic patients had more healthy sextants (code 0) than did diabetic patients. Over half of diabetic patients (∼54%) presented with s-IgA levels that were lower than the normal range (optical density from 0.4 nm to 0.6 nm; P < 0.05). In addition, diabetic patients showed a higher variability in s-IgA levels as compared with non-diabetic patients. In conclusion, diabetic individuals had lower s-IgA levels, more-frequent and more-severe periodontal disease, and a greater need for periodontal treatment as compared with non-diabetic patients.