Anxiety, gingival inflammation and periodontal disease in non-smokers and smokers - an epidemiological study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of anxiety, measured by one single question, on gingival inflammation and periodontal disease in non-smokers and smokers.


METHODS
The participants were 144 subjects with untreated periodontal disease 30-40 years of age, and 26 healthy controls, 30-40 years of age. All subjects were clinically examined and answered an uncomplicated question regarding anxiety in every day life, as well as smoking habits. The periodontitis subjects were divided into; an aggressive periodontitis (AP)-group and a chronic periodontitis (CP)-group. Fisher's exact probability t-test, analysis of variance (anova), Mann-Whitney U-test and analysis of covariance (ancova) were used as statistical methods.


RESULTS
Anxious subjects had a significantly higher gingival index than non-anxious subjects, when controlling for smoking (p<0.01). The healthy anxious non-smokers had an average score of GI 1.6 (+/-0.4 SD) compared with 1.2 (+/-0.4 SD), p<0.05 for the non-anxious non-smokers. Anxious smokers with periodontits (AP-/CP-group) had significantly more sites with pockets >/=5 mm, compared with non-anxious smokers, (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study, suggest that self-reported anxiety was associated with an adverse affect on the gingiva. Anxiety seemed to be associated with increased severity of periodontal disease in smokers.
Johannsen
Annsofi
A
Department of Periodontology, Institute of Odontology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. annsofi.johannsen@ofa.ki.se
Asberg
Marie
M
Söder
Per-Osten
PO
Söder
Birgitta
B
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires