The Effect of Social Media on Oral Hygiene among Pregnant Women (Second Trimester) in Karbala City, Iraq

Abstract

There is limited evidence available related to the impact of social media–based oral health education on objective clinical periodontal outcomes among pregnant women. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of a oral health education intervention utilizing social media in terms of plaque control and gingival health in pregnant women compared to the traditional printed oral health education intervention in Karbala, Iraq. Methods: The number of pregnant women in the study was 132, consisting of 66 in the control group and 66 in the experimental group, with a randomized baseline–post-test design. The control group received 24 printed educational brochures, while the experimental group was provided with a social media–based oral health education program that lasted for two months. Plaque Index (PI) and Gingival Index (GI) were determined baseline and post-intervention. Results: Baseline PI and GI did not differ significantly between groups. After the intervention, the experimental group had significantly lower mean PI (1.177 ± 0.196 vs. 1.885 ± 0.183; P < 0.001) and GI (0.978 ± 0.174 vs. 1.623 ± 0.194; P < 0.001) than the control group. Conclusion: social media–based oral health education was associated with greater improvements in plaque control and gingival health than conventional printed education among pregnant women in Karbala, Iraq.