Stopping for Mental Health Screening Before Periodontal Treatment – Role of Psychobiological Risk Indicators in Severity of Periodontal Diseases

Abstract

Background: As with many chronic infections, the initiation and progression of periodontal diseases are modified by local and systemic host conditions, or risk factors, that markedly affect the resistance of the host to infecting periodontal pathogens. There are large number of factors including genetic, environmental, and psychosocial which constitute a substantial risk in the development of periodontal destructive diseases. Aim: The aim of present study was to scrutinize the relationship between clinical depression, sleep quality and severity of periodontitis using clinical parameters and a depression and sleep quality rating scale. Materials and Methods: Hundred patients were enrolled in this case-control study, of which 50 patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were categorized into cases and 50 patients who were systemically and periodontally healthy were designated as controls. The periodontal parameters recorded included probing depth and simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S). Depression was determined using Beck’s depression scale. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used for scrutinizing sleep quality. Results: Self‑reported scoring of depression and sleep quality by using Beck’s depression inventory and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire has revealed that patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis had an appreciable elevated score of depression and poor sleep quality than normal controls. Conclusion: Findings of this case-control study revealed a statistically significant relationship between depression, its associated oral health behavior, sleep deprivation experienced and severity of destructive periodontal diseases.