Anxiety, gingival inflammation and periodontal disease in non‐smokers and smokers – an epidemiological study

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Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of anxiety, measured by one single question, on gingival inflammation and periodontal disease in non-smokers and smokers. The participants were 144 subjects with untreated periodontal disease 30-40 years of age, and 26 healthy controls, 30-40 years of age. All subjects were clinically examined and answered an uncomplicated question regarding anxiety in every day life, as well as smoking habits. The periodontitis subjects were divided into; an aggressive periodontitis (AP)-group and a chronic periodontitis (CP)-group. Fisher's exact probability t-test, analysis of variance (anova), Mann-Whitney U-test and analysis of covariance (ancova) were used as statistical methods. Anxious subjects had a significantly higher gingival index than non-anxious subjects, when controlling for smoking (p/=5 mm, compared with non-anxious smokers, (p<0.05). The results of the present study, suggest that self-reported anxiety was associated with an adverse affect on the gingiva. Anxiety seemed to be associated with increased severity of periodontal disease in smokers.