New Study Links Depression, Tooth Loss
New Study Links Depression, Tooth Loss Scientific evidence has long demonstrated that caries and periodontal diseases can lead to tooth loss. However, a new study sought to evaluate a lesser explored oral systemic link—the relationship between depression anxiety and tooth
New Study Links Depression, Tooth Loss
Scientific evidence has long demonstrated that caries and periodontal diseases can lead to tooth loss. However, a new study sought to evaluate a lesser-explored oral-systemic link—the relationship between depression/anxiety and tooth loss. Scientists hypothesized that tooth loss may be more predominate among these patient populations, as individuals with anxiety may avoid professional oral health care, while depression may interfere with the performance of basic self-care routines. The findings were presented in a study titled “Association of Tooth Loss and Depression and Anxiety” during the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research in Charlotte, NC, in March.
Through analysis of data from more than 72,000 participants selected from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone survey, researchers found that 13.4% of participants reported anxiety; 16.7% reported depression; and 5.7% reported tooth loss. Data demonstrated that the incidence of tooth loss was much higher among those who were depressed, anxious, or a combination of the two than those without either condition.
The study, which was presented by R. Constance Wiener, MA, DMD, PhD, an assistant professor in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University in Morgantown, revealed that the presence of depression and anxiety was associated with tooth loss, though additional research is necessary to support this theory.
Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter
April 2014
