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Pohjola V, Mattila AK, Joukamaa M, Lahti S. Anxiety and depressive disorders and dental fear among adults in Finland. Eur J Oral Sci 2011; 119: 55-60. © 2011 Eur J Oral Sci We studied the association between dental fear and anxiety or depressive disorders, as well as the comorbidity of dental fear with anxiety and depressive disorders, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, dental attendance, and dental health. Nationally representative data on Finnish adults, ≥ 30 yr of age ( n = 5,953), were gathered through interviews and clinical examination. Dental fear was measured using the question: 'How afraid are you of visiting a dentist?' Anxiety and/or depressive disorders were assessed using a standardized structured psychiatric interview according to criteria presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) (DSM-IV).Those with depressive disorders, generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia more commonly reported high dental fear than did those without these disorders. When age, gender, education, dental attendance, and the number of decayed, missing, and restored teeth were considered, those with generalized anxiety disorder were more likely to have high dental fear than were participants with neither anxiety nor depressive disorders. The comorbidity of depressive and anxiety disorders also remained statistically significantly associated with dental fear; those with both depressive and anxiety disorders were more likely to have high dental fear than were those without these disorders. Our findings support the suggestion that some individuals may have a personality that is vulnerable to dental fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body weight and periodontal infection in a longitudinal setting. Material and methods: This study was based on a subpopulation of the Health 2000 Survey that included dentate, non-diabetic subjects aged 30-59 years, who had never smoked and who had participated in the Follow-Up Study on Finnish Adults' Oral Health approximately 4 years later (n=396). The number of new teeth with deepened (4 mm deep or deeper) periodontal pockets in the follow-up examination was used as the outcome variable. Body weight was measured using body mass index, categorized into three categories: <25.0 (normal weight), 25.0-29.9 (overweight) and 30.0 or more (obesity). Incidence rate ratios were estimated using Poisson's regression models. Results: Body weight was weakly, but not statistically significantly, associated with the number of new teeth with deepened periodontal pockets among subjects who were periodontally healthy in the baseline examinations, whereas only a minuscule association was found among subjects who had periodontal infection at baseline. Conclusions: The results of this follow-up study do not provide evidence that overweight and obesity can be considered significant risk factors in the pathogenesis of periodontal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]