[en] -Aims. A study is made to contrast the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease, the needs for periodontal treatment, and the prevalence of lesions of the oral mucosa in pregnant (study group) and non-pregnant women. -Study design. During the period 1991-1999, a prospective observational study was made of 7952 women seen in the Dental School of De La Salle Bajío University (León, Gto. Mexico). The following variables were documented: age, disease antecedents, simplified periodontal index, and lesions of the oral mucosa. Two patient groups were defined: pregnant and non-pregnant women exhibiting a similar age distribution. The data were presented as percentages, and comparisons were made based on the chi-square test. -Results. Pregnancy was not found to be a decisive factor for the development of periodontal disease, no differences in the prevalence of gingivitis (54.54 and 50.50%) and periodontitis (31.82 and 31.75%) being observed between the two groups. However, the severity of periodontitis was significantly greater among the pregnant women (18.18% versus 9.88%; p< 0.01). The prevalence of oral mucosal lesions was similar in both groups (30%), 13 lesions being identified in the study group, with a predominance of leukoedema, traumatic ulceration, red traumatic lesions, benign migratory glossitis (geographic tongue), irritative keratosis and pyogenic granuloma. The non-pregnant women in turn exhibited 57 lesions. Pyogenic granuloma and benign migratory glossitis exhibited significant differences between the two groups (p< 0.005). -Conclusions. Gingivitis and periodontitis showed similar prevalences in pregnant and non-pregnant women, though severe periodontitis was more frequent among the former. Pyogenic granuloma and benign migratory glossitis were the lesions with the greatest prevalences during pregnancy.

[es] -Objetivos. Identificar la prevalencia y severidad de enfermedad periodontal, necesidades de tratamiento periodontal y prevalencia de lesiones de la mucosa bucal. -Diseño del estudio. Estudio prospectivo, observacional y tangencial en el que se examinaron 7,952 mujeres (1991-1999) en la Escuela de Odontología de la Universidad De La Salle Bajío, en León, Gto. México, registrándose: edad, antecedentes personales patológicos, índice periodontal simplificado y lesiones de la mucosa bucal. Se integraron dos grupos: de mujeres embarazadas y de no gestantes, con edades similares. Los resultados fueron manejados en porcentajes, utilizando la prueba de Chi cuadrada para identificar su significancia. -Resultados. El embarazo no mostró ser factor decisivo para el desarrollo de enfermedad periodontal, no habiéndose encontrado diferencias en la prevalencia de Gingivitis (54.54 y 50.50%) y Periodontitis (31.82 y 31.75%) entre los dos grupos, sin embargo la severidad de Periodontitis fue significativamente mayor en las embarazadas: 18.18 y 9.88% (P< 0.01). La prevalencia de lesiones de la mucosa bucal fue similar para ambos grupos: 30%, identificándose 13 lesiones en el grupo de estudio, predominando leucoedema, úlcera traumática, lesión roja traumática, glositis migratoria benigna, queratosis irritacional y granuloma piógeno. En las no gestantes se encontraron 57 lesiones. Granuloma piógeno y glositis migratoria benigna mostraron una diferencia significativa entre ambos grupos (P< 0.005). Conclusiones. Gingivitis y periodontitis mostraron cifras de prevalencia similares en mujeres embarazadas y no embarazadas, sin embargo periodontitis severa fue mayor en las mujeres gestantes. Granuloma piógeno y glositis migratoria benigna fueron las lesiones que mostraron mayor prevalencia durante el embarazo.