From Dentists to AI: Oral Health Information-seeking Behavior Among Pregnant Women in the Digital Era—A Cross-sectional Study
T. Shakina Madhuri, Banda Sri Deepti Sindhusha, Nijampatnam P.M. Pavani, Potluri Rajasekhar, Bhimana Srilekha, Mallidi SrujanaIntroduction
Pregnancy is a critical period during which optimal oral health is essential for maternal and fetal well-being. With increasing use of digital technologies, pregnant women obtain oral health information from various sources, including healthcare professionals, social media, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based platforms. This study assessed oral health information-seeking behavior among pregnant women and its association with oral health knowledge.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Vijayawada. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used for analysis, with statistical significance set at
Results
The mean age of participants was 28.42 ± 5.07 years. Although 96.7% had internet access, only 34.0% sought oral health information during pregnancy. Dentists were the most commonly used and trusted source (45.0%), followed by obstetricians (23.5%), while social media and AI chatbots were each used by 11.7%. Preferred information source was significantly associated with knowledge of gum disease (
Conclusion
Despite widespread internet access, oral health information-seeking during pregnancy was limited. Professional guidance, particularly from dentists, was associated with better oral health knowledge, emphasizing the need to strengthen evidence-based oral health education within antenatal care.