The relationship between periodontal disease severity and state-trait anxiety level

Objective: To determine the relationship between the paroxysm related to periodontal disease and the state-trait anxiety level in patients attending a periodontology clinic in Turkey. Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 141 patients 18 years old attending the periodontology clinic at the Dental Faculty of Erciyes University, Turkey, between January and March 2009. A questionnaire developed by the researchers, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Index and the Community Periodontal Index were used for data collection. SPSS 15, chi square test and unpaired students t test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Gingivitis was present in 101 (71.6%) patietns, while periodontitis was found in 40 (28.4%). The mean age of periodontal patients was significantly higher than those of gingivitis patients (p 0.05). Graduates were less likely to develop periodontitis than those who had only primary education (p 0.05). Gingivitis was seen to be significantly higher in patients having poor oral hygiene (p 0.05). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores of periodontal patients was significantly higher than those of gingivitis patients (p 0.05). Patients with high state anxiety scores were more likely to have periodontitis. The most important variables associated with periodontitis and gingivitis were age, State- Trait Anxiety Inventory, income level and needs for treatment, respectively. Conclusion: Periodontal treatment will improve if anxiety is diagnosed and relieved by different methods.