Research Proposal: Oral Health During Pregnancy
Added on 2022-12-23
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Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL: ORAL HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY
RESEARCH PROPOSAL: ORAL HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:
RESEARCH PROPOSAL: ORAL HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:
1RESEARCH PROPOSAL: ORAL HEALH DURING PREGNANCY
Abstract
Pregnancy is a critical stage which necessitates maintenance of positive health outcomes
and required health parameters to ensure survival of both the mother and the baby, as well as
growth and development of a healthy child. Despite availability of adequate knowledge on the
varied physiological and psychological changes and their consequences in pregnancy, limited
research and emphasis exists on the maintenance of adequate oral health. Hormonal alterations in
estrogen and progesterone in pregnancy results in increased inflammation in the oral cavity
resulting in increased susceptibilities for expecting mothers to acquire oral diseases. Lack of
adequate management of the same, will result in birth of a low birth weight or preterm infant,
with compromised immunity. Hence the following research proposal will aim to outline a
qualitative exploratory research on understanding the associations between oral health and
pregnancy and utilize systematic reviews and narrative synthesis as the chosen method for data
collection and analysis. It is expected that a research will pave the way for future studies and
improvements in maternal health assessments in the inclusion of oral health as a part of
compulsory screening and patient education dissemination.
Abstract
Pregnancy is a critical stage which necessitates maintenance of positive health outcomes
and required health parameters to ensure survival of both the mother and the baby, as well as
growth and development of a healthy child. Despite availability of adequate knowledge on the
varied physiological and psychological changes and their consequences in pregnancy, limited
research and emphasis exists on the maintenance of adequate oral health. Hormonal alterations in
estrogen and progesterone in pregnancy results in increased inflammation in the oral cavity
resulting in increased susceptibilities for expecting mothers to acquire oral diseases. Lack of
adequate management of the same, will result in birth of a low birth weight or preterm infant,
with compromised immunity. Hence the following research proposal will aim to outline a
qualitative exploratory research on understanding the associations between oral health and
pregnancy and utilize systematic reviews and narrative synthesis as the chosen method for data
collection and analysis. It is expected that a research will pave the way for future studies and
improvements in maternal health assessments in the inclusion of oral health as a part of
compulsory screening and patient education dissemination.
2RESEARCH PROPOSAL: ORAL HEALH DURING PREGNANCY
Introduction
Research Background
The stage pregnancy forms one of the most crucial area underlying the overall health and
wellbeing of a community in general and nation in particular, considering that it comprises of the
foundational cornerstones for an individual’s growth and development. Pregnancy brings forth a
number of psychological , physiological and emotional upheavals in a woman’s life due to the
complex interplay of a multitude of hormones, characteristic of this stage (Hartnett et al., 2016).
Of the multifaceted changes and health variations which can occur during pregnancy,
examination, monitoring and oral health - an aspect often overlook during provision of care –
will be the focus of concern discussed in the following paragraphs of this research proposal.
Research Rationale
As a resultant of the dramatic hormonal alterations undergoing during pregnancy,
expectant mothers are often susceptible to encountering detrimental oral health and gum disease,
mainly pregnancy-associated gingivitis, hence necessitating timely and robust oral care.
Increased circulating levels of progesterone resulting in inflammatory and vascular changes are
often accompanied with painful and swollen gums, coupled with abnormally high buildup of
plague (Vamos et al., 2015). Increased proliferation of bacterial colonies in the oral cavity result
in swallowing and associated circulation of harmful plague towards the developing fetus, leading
to increased susceptibility of giving birth to preterm or low birth weight babies. Despite the
harmful consequences, there lies limited research on the importance of maintaining optimal oral
health during pregnancy and the underlying pathologies rationalizing the same (Wen et al.,
Introduction
Research Background
The stage pregnancy forms one of the most crucial area underlying the overall health and
wellbeing of a community in general and nation in particular, considering that it comprises of the
foundational cornerstones for an individual’s growth and development. Pregnancy brings forth a
number of psychological , physiological and emotional upheavals in a woman’s life due to the
complex interplay of a multitude of hormones, characteristic of this stage (Hartnett et al., 2016).
Of the multifaceted changes and health variations which can occur during pregnancy,
examination, monitoring and oral health - an aspect often overlook during provision of care –
will be the focus of concern discussed in the following paragraphs of this research proposal.
Research Rationale
As a resultant of the dramatic hormonal alterations undergoing during pregnancy,
expectant mothers are often susceptible to encountering detrimental oral health and gum disease,
mainly pregnancy-associated gingivitis, hence necessitating timely and robust oral care.
Increased circulating levels of progesterone resulting in inflammatory and vascular changes are
often accompanied with painful and swollen gums, coupled with abnormally high buildup of
plague (Vamos et al., 2015). Increased proliferation of bacterial colonies in the oral cavity result
in swallowing and associated circulation of harmful plague towards the developing fetus, leading
to increased susceptibility of giving birth to preterm or low birth weight babies. Despite the
harmful consequences, there lies limited research on the importance of maintaining optimal oral
health during pregnancy and the underlying pathologies rationalizing the same (Wen et al.,
3RESEARCH PROPOSAL: ORAL HEALH DURING PREGNANCY
2017).Hence, taking insights from the same, the problem statement for the proposed statement
will be as the following:
Problem Statement: To review the importance of maintaining optimum oral health
during pregnancy considering the problem of limited research availability and unawareness on
the underlying pathologies and consequences due to lack of mitigation of the same.
Literature Review
As reviewed by Aggarwal et al., (2019), upon conception and to the stages leading up to
birth of a baby, the interplay and fluctuating rises and pitfalls in the sex hormones result in varied
physiological and psychological changes within the body of the expecting mother to ensure
adequate fetal growth and development. Wu, Chen and Jiang (2015), postulated that sex
hormones during the stage of pregnancy has also now been implicated to exert detrimental
changes in the oral cavity of expecting mothers namely alterations in the normal flora of the sub-
gingival region, hindered immunological processes in the oral cavity hence leading to emergence
of frequent episodes of gingivitis as well intense and painful granulomas.
As researched by Gil et al., (2109), the associations between oral cavity and diseases can
be established during the first trimester of second month of pregnancy which is characterized by
high circulatory levels of progesterone and estrogen, namely for the purpose of facilitating fetal
growth via placental tissues and vascular proliferation. The resultant high levels of progesterone
results in increased dilation and permeability of capillaries in the gingival and associated
production of exudates in the sub-gingival cavities. An additional change associated as a result of
elevated circulatory levels of progesterone is the increased circulatory rates of prostaglandins,
namely PGE-2 leading to increased inflammation in tissues such as the gingival as well as
2017).Hence, taking insights from the same, the problem statement for the proposed statement
will be as the following:
Problem Statement: To review the importance of maintaining optimum oral health
during pregnancy considering the problem of limited research availability and unawareness on
the underlying pathologies and consequences due to lack of mitigation of the same.
Literature Review
As reviewed by Aggarwal et al., (2019), upon conception and to the stages leading up to
birth of a baby, the interplay and fluctuating rises and pitfalls in the sex hormones result in varied
physiological and psychological changes within the body of the expecting mother to ensure
adequate fetal growth and development. Wu, Chen and Jiang (2015), postulated that sex
hormones during the stage of pregnancy has also now been implicated to exert detrimental
changes in the oral cavity of expecting mothers namely alterations in the normal flora of the sub-
gingival region, hindered immunological processes in the oral cavity hence leading to emergence
of frequent episodes of gingivitis as well intense and painful granulomas.
As researched by Gil et al., (2109), the associations between oral cavity and diseases can
be established during the first trimester of second month of pregnancy which is characterized by
high circulatory levels of progesterone and estrogen, namely for the purpose of facilitating fetal
growth via placental tissues and vascular proliferation. The resultant high levels of progesterone
results in increased dilation and permeability of capillaries in the gingival and associated
production of exudates in the sub-gingival cavities. An additional change associated as a result of
elevated circulatory levels of progesterone is the increased circulatory rates of prostaglandins,
namely PGE-2 leading to increased inflammation in tissues such as the gingival as well as
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