Summary: Research reveals a link between oral health problems and several mental health and addiction disorders.
Source: International Association for Dental Research
The study, which examined the mental health-oral health association cross-sectionally and longitudinally, was presented at the AADOCR 52nd Annual Meeting and Exposition held in conjunction with the CADR 47th Annual Meeting. The AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting & Exhibition was held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland on March 15-18, 2023.
The study, led by Alex Kalaigiani of the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry, obtained self-reported data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study.
The Global Appraisal Individual Needs-Short Screener (GAIN-SS) measured mental health symptoms according to three disorder categories: internalizing, externalizing, and substance use.
Six oral health conditions were assessed: self-rated oral health, bleeding gums, loose teeth, tooth loss, gum disease, and bone loss. The cross-sectional analysis of PATH Wave 4 (2016-2018, N=30,753) compared the weighted prevalence of six oral health effects studies according to the severity of mental health problems.
Prospectively, PATH Wave 5 (2018-2019) oral health outcomes were assessed according to wave 4 mental health problems (N=26,177). Study-weighted logistic regression models controlled for confounders (age, sex, tobacco use, etc.) with imputation of missing values.
Cross-sectionally, all six adverse oral health outcomes showed a statistically significantly higher prevalence than increasing severity of mental health problems. For example, the adjusted probability of bone loss around the teeth was 1.79 times higher [95%CI 1.30-2.46] In the category of internalizing problems, high vs. none/low.
Longitudinally, associations with externalizing and substance use problems largely dissipated, but several associations with internalizing problems remained. For example, the adjusted probability of bleeding gums was 1.40 times higher [95%CI 1.22-1.62] In the category of internalizing problems, high vs. none/low.
The study concluded that providers should expect higher levels of oral disease in patients with adverse mental health conditions. Regardless of externalizing and substance abuse problems, symptoms of internalizing problems are a plausible risk factor for future adverse oral health.
These results may be useful to both medical and dental practitioners when diagnosing and providing treatment for individuals with mental health problems.
About this mental health research news
Factor: Press office
Source: International Association for Dental Research
Contact: Press Office – International Association for Dental Research
Picture: The image is in the public domain
Original research: The results will be presented at the AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting and Exhibition