The relationship of stress and anxiety with chronic periodontitis.
OBJECTIVE
This case-control study investigates the relationship of stress and anxiety with periodontal clinical characteristics.


METHODS
Seventy-nine selected patients (mean age 46.8+/-8 years) were assigned to three groups in accordance with their levels of probing pocket depth (PPD): control group (PPD< or =3 mm, n=22), test group 1 (at least four sites with PPD > or =4 mm and < or =6 mm, n=27) and test group 2 (at least four sites with PPD >6 mm, n=30). An inclusion criterion of the study required that patients presented a plaque index (PI) with a value equal to or larger than 2 in at least 50% of dental surfaces. All subjects were submitted to stress and anxiety evaluations. Stress was measured by the Stress Symptom Inventory (SSI) and the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), while the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety. Clinical measures such as PI, gingival index (GI), PPD and clinical attachment level (CAL) were collected. Patient's medical history and socioeconomic data were also recorded.


RESULTS
The mean clinical measures (PI, GI, PPD and CAL) obtained for the three groups, were: control group, 1.56+/-0.32, 0.68+/-0.49, 1.72+/-0.54 and 2.04+/-0.64 mm; group 1, 1.56+/-0.39, 1.13+/-0.58, 2.67+/-0.67 and 3.10+/-0.76 mm, group 2, 1.65+/-0.37, 1.54+/-0.46, 4.14+/-1.23 and 5.01+/-1.60 mm. The three groups did not differ with respect to percentage of clinical stress, scores of the SRRS, trait and state anxiety. Frequency of moderate CAL (4-6 mm) and moderate PPD (4-6 mm) were found to be significantly associated with higher trait anxiety scores after adjusting for socioeconomic data and cigarette consumption (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the obtained results, individuals with high levels of trait anxiety appeared to be more prone to periodontal disease.
Vettore
M V
MV
Department of Periodontology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. maga@compuland.com.br
Leão
A T T
AT
Monteiro Da Silva
A M
AM
Quintanilha
R S
RS
Lamarca
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000145:classification; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*