Associations of depressive and anxiety disorders with periodontal disease prevalence in young adults: analysis of 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

BACKGROUND

Depression and anxiety have been linked to periodontal disease, an emerging risk factor for chronic diseases. However, this literature is mixed, and few studies have concurrently evaluated depression and anxiety.

PURPOSE: We simultaneously examined the associations of depressive and anxiety disorders with periodontal disease prevalence and explored tobacco use as a mediator.

METHODS

Participants were 1,979 young adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004 who underwent a diagnostic interview and a dental examination.

RESULTS

Adults with panic disorder had a threefold higher odds of having periodontal disease than those without this disorder (OR = 3.07, 95 % CI 1.17-8.02). This relationship was partially mediated by tobacco use and remained after adjustment for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, which were not related to periodontal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Young adults with panic disorder may have greater odds of having periodontal disease, in part, due to increased tobacco use.