Objective: To explore the relationship between the chronic periodontitis (CP) and the depression-anxiety psychological factors.
Methods: Thirty-one patients and 29 age, gender-matched volunteers were enrolled for this study. In order to assess the depression-anxiety psychological index, the subjects filled the questionnaire regarding the demographic and socioeconomic information, the oral hygiene habit, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Self Rating Anxiety Scale(ASA). Calculus index (CI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), furcation involvement (FI) and tooth mobility were assessed at 6 sites per tooth of all erupted teeth by a manual periodontal probe. The data were analyzed by the analysis of variance, χ(2) test, and multivariable logistic step wise analysis via the software of SPSS 15.0.
Results: The mean CAL of the control group was 0.46 ± 0.16,the mean CAL of the moderate, high, and severe CP group was 2.84 ± 0.12, 3.51 ± 0.34, and 4.71 ± 0.51, respectively, which is significant difference between each other (P<0.01). The depression index of the volunteers, the moderate CP, the high CP, and the severe CP was 30.52 ± 3.73, 35.83 ± 7.76, 37.25 ± 6.16, 37.82 ± 5.94, respectively. The anxiety index among the 4 groups was 26.69 ± 3.55, 37.67 ± 6.31, 32.87 ± 5.54, and 35.94 ± 6.30, respectively. The depression and anxiety indexes of the periodontitis groups were higher than those of the control (P<0.01) while there was no significant difference among the 3 CP groups (P>0.05). The multivariate logistic analysis of the relationship between CP and the depression-anxiety psychological factors showed that the depression psychological factor was B=2.301,OR=9.988 while the optimistic coping style was B=-5.174,OR=0.006 in the equation of the regression.
Conclusion: The depression psychological factor was related to the progression of CP. In addition, the optimistic coping style could prevent the progression of the CP.