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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : March 22, 2014 12:14 PM IST
Dental decay and tooth loss may not be simple medical problems and psychological issues such as depression and anxiety are linked to these conditions, research suggests. 'Tooth loss from caries (dental decay) and periodontal disease (when the gums detach from the teeth) is an outcome from complex, chronic conditions,' said the research.
'Several bio-psychosocial factors are involved, including accessing care. Individuals reporting dental anxiety may avoid dental care and individuals with depression may be negligent in self-care,' said R. Constance Wiener from West Virginia University. For the study, researchers used a data of 451,075 respondents and selected those who were 19 years or older, and had complete data on depression, anxiety and tooth loss. (Read: 7 stress-busting foods you should include in your diet (Gallery))
There were 76,292 eligible participants; and 13.4 per cent of participants reported anxiety, 16.7 per cent reported depression, and 5.7 per cent reported total tooth loss. The researchers found that depression, anxiety and a combined category of depression or anxiety were significantly different in tooth loss than in the participants without such conditions. (Read: Antidepressant drugs all your queries answered)
What is depression?
The term depression is used to describe a long period of sadness. It can either refer to a person's mood where he or she is feeling sad and dejected or to describe a debilitating mental illness called major depressive disorder. To feel sad during major life crises is normal but major depressive disorder refers to a condition where there is prolonged sadness without any link to life events. It's important to remember that major depressive disorder is an illness and needs to be treated just like other ailments. Depression can affect a person emotionally as well as physically. Common symptoms of depression include unhappiness, loss of interest in activities which were earlier pleasurable, loss of appetite, lack of energy and motivation, difficulty in concentrating, inability to make decisions and sleep problems (mainly insomnia). Chronic, untreated depression can induce suicidal thoughts in people. But it can be treated well with antidepressant drugs if people accept their problem and consider taking treatment. (Read: Depression understanding it is half the battle won)
With inputs from IANS
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