title: The relationship between periodontal disease severity and state-trait anxiety level.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between the paroxysm related to periodontal disease and the state-trait anxiety level in patients attending a periodontology clinic in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study involved 141 patients > or = 18 years old attending the periodontology clinic at the Dental Faculty of Erciyes University, Turkey, between January and March 2009. A questionnaire developed by the researchers, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Index and the Community Periodontal Index were used for data collection. SPSS 15, chi square test and unpaired students' t test were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gingivitis was present in 101 (71.6%) patietns, while periodontitis was found in 40 (28.4%). The mean age of periodontal patients was significantly higher than those of gingivitis patients (p < 0.05). Graduates were less likely to develop periodontitis than those who had only primary education (p < 0.05). Gingivitis was seen to be significantly higher in patients having poor oral hygiene (p < 0.05). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores of periodontal patients was significantly higher than those of gingivitis patients (p < 0.05). Patients with high state anxiety scores were more likely to have periodontitis. The most important variables associated with periodontitis and gingivitis were age, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, income level and needs for treatment, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periodontal treatment will improve if anxiety is diagnosed and relieved by different methods.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Periodontology, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. kesimservet@gmail.com
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kesim
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Unalan
authors.forename: Cagri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozturk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology