Association between periodontal health and trait anxiety in Egyptian women: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesThis study explored the relationship between periodontal problems and trait anxiety in a sample of Egyptian women.Materials and MethodsThe Egyptian validated Arabic version of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory‐Trait subscale was used to measure levels of trait anxiety, and the periodontal health status of 451 Egyptian women was assessed using the Community Periodontal Index. Data were also collected on potential covariates such as age, educational level, marital status, parity, smoking, and oral healthcare‐seeking behavior. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to evaluate the association between periodontal diseases and trait anxiety.ResultsAmong study participants, and after adjusting for some of the potential confounders, trait anxiety exhibited weak association with periodontal diseases (OR: 1.11; 95% CI= 1.07, 1.14; p <0.001). Also, old age (OR: 1.12; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.17; p < 0.001) as well as parity (OR: 7.26; 95% CI = 2.89, 18.27; p <0.001) were significantly associated with periodontal problems in the adjusted model.ConclusionWhile the study findings may implicate that personality traits, such as trait anxiety, could be linked to periodontal diseases more research is warranted to confirm or reject this association.