Oral health and mental health in healthy adults, a topic of primary prevention and health care, empirical results from two online studies

Abstract

Oral health is an important, yet often neglected aspect of health and well-being. Among geriatric populations, oral diseases, poor oral health, and reduced oral hygiene behavior are major comorbid factors of geriatric diseases such as dementia, cardiovascular diseases, or mental health conditions. However, little is known so far about the relationships between oral health and mental health in the younger adult population, who is yet not suffering from any disorder. In the present manuscript the results of two online studies, online study 1, n = 133, all-female sample and online study 2: n = 29, mixed gender sample, are reported that investigate the relationship between self-reported oral health impairments and preclinical symptoms of mental disorders including self-reported symptoms associated with depression or eating disorders as well as self-reported perceived stress and behavior change related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of both studies support links between self-reported oral health impairments, self-reported depressive symptoms (including anxiety and current affect) and symptoms related to eating disorders (such as bulimic behavior, body dissatisfaction or drive for thinness) among young adults and suggest that perceived stress may contribute to both, impaired oral health and impaired mental health in young adults (women and men).

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