Association of oral health behaviors and status with depression: results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010

Abstract

Objective:To examine the association of depression with oral health behaviors and oral health status in a large nationwide sample of Korean adults. Methods: This study included 6,139 participants aged 19 years or older who participated in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Binary and polychotomous logistic regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Participants with lifetime depression (self-report of past or present depression) brushed their teeth less frequently (AOR = 1.30, 95 percent CI 1.03-1.65) and were more likely not to receive treatment when experiencing dental problems (AOR = 1.43, 95 percent CI 1.23-1.66) than those without lifetime depression after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, gender, and age. After adjusting for significant oral health behaviors, current smoking status, and sociodemographic factors, participants with lifetime depression had poorer oral health status than those without this disorder: uncomfortable mastication (AOR = 1.25, 95 percent CI 1.05-1.50), toothache (AOR = 1.18, 95 percent CI 1.01-1.39), temporomandibular joint symptoms (AOR = 1.41, 95 percent CI 1.08-1.85), and maxillary periodontal bleeding (AOR = 1.29, 95 percent CI 1.03-1.61 for the right side; AOR = 1.40, 95 percent CI 1.13-1.74 for the left side). Conclusion: Depression was significantly associated with oral health status, even after adjusting for the impact of oral health behaviors in Korean adults. Thus, our findings suggest the necessity of further investigation to detect underlying mechanisms in the relationship between depression and oral health that are not mediated by oral health behavior.

Maternal Depression Increases Childhood Dental Caries: A Cohort Study in Brazil

“…There are few studies about maternal depression and early childhood caries (ECC) [Seow et al, 2009;Finlayson et al, 2010]. Depressive symptoms have been associated with worse oral health-related behaviors [Anttila et al, 2006], and adults with lifetime depression have been reported to be more likely to have oral health problems than those without lifetime depression [Park et al, 2014]. Nevertheless, examining psychosocial maternal factors and the occurrence of ECC in their offspring in a sample of low-income Afro-American families, Finlayson et al [2010] did not find any association between depression in mothers and ECC in their children.…”

“…Depression and oral health issues are common problems in the general population; thus, the relationship between oral health and mental health must be elucidated to improve these factors in public. In particular, understanding the degree to which oral health behaviors affect the relationship between depression and oral health status is important for managing oral health in depressed patients [Park et al, 2014]. Parents, especially mothers, are widely acknowledged to play a pivotal role in the establishment of oral health-promoting behaviors that prevent the development of childhood dental caries [Hooley et al, 2012].…”

Association of stress, depression, and suicidal ideation with subjective oral health status and oral functions in Korean adults aged 35 years or more

“…Several studies have investigated this association using large data obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) [5, 14–16]. A study has reported on the effects of oral health behavior and status on the quality of life in the Korean elderly [5], and only a few reports have indicated that oral pain or oral health status is correlated with depression in Korean adults or the elderly [14–16]. However, there is a lack of research on the influence of oral health status on stress, depression, and suicidal ideation-the primary markers of mental health-among Korean adults.…”

Association Between Chewing Difficulty and Symptoms of Depression in Adults: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

“…There have been three reports on the association between chewing difficulty and symptoms of depression . The Whitehall II study was a prospective closed‐cohort study with a small sample size (N = 227), and the results cannot be generalized .…”

“…The Invecchiare in Chianti study assessed only individuals aged 65 and older and did not adjust for well‐known confounders such as detailed oral health status or behaviors . A third study assessed this relationship in the Korean population but also did not adjust for systemic confounders and did not include an age‐ and sex‐stratified analysis . The results of these studies are consistent with findings of previous studies that link depression disorders to chewing problems, although it is difficult to compare the results of the current subgroup analyses with previous studies because few studies have examined the relationship between chewing difficulty and symptoms of depression.…”