Oral healthcare access: self-perceived barriers faced during pregnancy - a systematic review.

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Pregnancy encompasses physiological changes that impact oral health. Despite oral health care's importance, pregnant women underutilize these services due to various barriers. This systematic review aims to assess the self-reported barriers that hinder pregnant women's access to oral healthcare worldwide.<h4>Methods</h4>The PRISMA checklist was followed and PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were screened for articles. The barriers that prevent pregnant women from accessing oral healthcare were analysed based on three dimensions - availability, affordability, and acceptability.<h4>Results</h4>From a total of 942 articles, 31 were selected. The predominant barriers were the costs of dental care, lack of literacy, namely the misconception about dental care safety to the foetus, and limited oral health awareness.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Addressing these barriers requires a comprehensive policy framework and resource allocation, integrating oral health into perinatal care, and raising awareness among non-dental healthcare professionals.