Abstract
Nursing mothers are busy because their duties typically include taking care of their babies and performing housekeeping, among other tasks. We are supporting nursing mothers' oral health at our ma ternity hospital. Their oral health check-ups and dental treatment provide excellent opportunities to improve the oral health of their infants and other children.Therefore, we administered a questionnaire to nursing mothers who had oral health check-ups. Herein, we report the salient results of a questionnaire survey of 110 mothers who delivered babies at our maternity hospital.1.Many of the mothers had oral health check-ups at 2 months after delivery, and the next was at 12 months after childbirth.2.The 31−35 age group (54%) and primiparous mothers (58%) ranked first among groups of respondents.3.Of the mothers, 69% had oral health check-ups during pregnancy, but most did not have a family dentist.4.The daily repetitions of tooth brushing during pregnancy and after childbirth showed no marked differences.5.Of the mothers, 29% were smokers before pregnancy ; all but one mother quit smoking after noticing their pregnancy.6.Of the mothers, 50% were concerned about their baby's oral health. Most reported worries on the questionnaire survey were related to “dental caries.”7.At our pediatric dentistry, many mothers had complained about “tooth brushing” and “baby food.”These concerns differed from those of the questionnaire results.It is necessary that nursing mothers have their oral health check-ups, just as pregnant women do. Moreover, in recent years, mothers have access to much information related to child care. Therefore,many mothers are concerned and confused. For those reasons, we seek to create a comfortable environment and system by which mothers and infants can have regular oral health check-ups. Cooperative efforts undertaken with professionals of other occupations are necessary to support mothers and their infants.
