Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Oral Health
Published in: BMC Oral Health 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Generalised Anxiety Disorder | Research article

Psychological distress, oral health behaviour and related factors among adolescents: Finnish School Health Promotion Study

Authors: Vesa Pohjola, Meri Nurkkala, Jorma I. Virtanen

Published in: BMC Oral Health | Issue 1/2021

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Psychological distress may affect health behaviour. We examined how psychological distress, social phobia (SP) and anxiety associated with tooth brushing among Finnish adolescents with respect to gender, school grade, parents’ education, family structure, smoking and perceived general health.

Methods

This study is part of the Finnish national School Health Promotion Study (SHP). The study population comprised a representative sample of Finnish 15-year-olds (N = 45,877). Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) served to assess SP and anxiety. A questionnaire enquired about the respondents’ oral health habits (tooth brushing, smoking), background factors (age, gender, family structure and parents’ education) and perceived general health. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression analyses served in the statistical analyses.

Results

About two-thirds of the girls (66.7%) and less than half of the boys (40.1%) followed the international recommendation of tooth brushing twice daily. Girls reported possible problems with SP and GAD more often than boys did. Those reporting possible problems with SP or moderate or severe anxiety brushed their teeth at least twice daily less often than did those reporting no possible problems with SP and those with no, slight or mild anxiety. Logistic regression analyses showed that male gender (OR = 3.2; 95% CI 3.1–3.4), parents’ basic education (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.4–1.5), and adolescents’ perception of their current state of health as moderate, fairly or very poor (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.5–2.0) associated with not brushing teeth twice daily. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses showed that boys who smoked (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.6–1.8) were less likely than non-smokers to brush their teeth twice daily.

Conclusion

Adolescents with psychological distress, such as possible SP or possible general anxiety, had less favourable oral health behaviour. Psychological distress indicates a greater risk for oral health problems already in adolescence.
Literature
1.
Cullinan MP, Ford PJ, Seymour GJ. Periodontal disease and systemic health: current status. Aust Dent J. 2009;54(1):62–9.CrossRef
2.
Dörfer C, Benz C, Aida J, Campard G. The relationship of oral health with general health and NDCs: a brief review. Int Dent J. 2017;67(Suppl 2):14–8.PubMedCrossRef
3.
Watt RG, Sheiham A. Integrating the common risk factor approach into a social determinants framework. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2012;40(4):289–96.PubMedCrossRef
4.
Duijster D, Oude Groeniger J, van der Heijden GJMG, van Lenthe FJ. Material, behavioural, cultural and psychosocial factors in the explanation of socioeconomic inequalities in oral health. Eur J Public Health. 2018;28(4):590–7.PubMedCrossRef
5.
Connor KM, Kobak KA, Churchill LE, Katzelnick D, Davidson JR. Mini-SPIN: A brief screening assessment for generalized social anxiety disorder. Depress Anxiety. 2001;14(2):137–40.PubMedCrossRef
6.
Marsh IC, Chan SWY, MacBeth A. Self-compassion and psychological distress in adolescents—a meta-analysis. Mindfulness (N Y). 2018;9(4):1011–27.CrossRef
7.
Ranta K, Kaltiala-Heino R, Rantanen P, Marttunen M. The Mini-Social Phobia Inventory: psychometric properties in an adolescent general population sample. Compr Psychiatry. 2012;53(5):630–7.PubMedCrossRef
8.
Nerdrum P, Rustøen T, Rønnestad MH. Student psychological distress: a psychometric study of 1750 Norwegian 1st year undergraduate students. Scan J Educ Res. 2006;50(1):95–109.CrossRef
9.
Saïas T, du Roscoät E, Véron L, Guignard R, Richard JB, Legleye S, et al. Psychological distress in French college students: demographic, economic and social stressors. Results from the 2010 National Health Barometer. BMC Public Health. 2010;2014(14):256.
10.
11.
Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092–7.PubMedCrossRef
12.
Tiirikainen K, Haravuori H, Ranta K, Kaltiala-Heino R, Marttunen M. Psychometric properties of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) in a large representative sample of Finnish adolescents. Psychiatry Res. 2019;272:30–5.PubMedCrossRef
13.
14.
Tseveenjav B, Pesonen P, Virtanen JI. Use of snus, its association with smoking and alcohol consumption, and related attitudes among adolescents: the Finnish National School Health Promotion Study. Tob Induc Dis. 2015;13:34.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
15.
Lehtinen AE, Joronen K, Similä T, Rantanen A, Virtanen JI. School achievement and oral health behavior among adolescents in Finland: a national survey. Oral Health Prev Dent. 2020;18(2):125–32.PubMed
16.
Virtanen JI, Muikku T, Similä T, Cinar AB, Pohjola V. Physical activity, BMI and oral health behaviour among adolescents: Finnish School Health Promotion Study. Eur J Public Health. 2019;29(2):296–302.PubMedCrossRef
17.
Löe H. Oral hygiene in the prevention of caries and periodontal disease. Int Dent J. 2000;50(3):129–39.PubMedCrossRef
18.
Honkala S, Honkala E, Newton T, Rimpelä A. Toothbrushing and smoking among adolescents—aggregation of health damaging behaviours. J Clin Peridontol. 2011;38(5):442–8.CrossRef
19.
Maes L, Vereecken C, Vanobbergen J, Honkala S. Tooth brushing and social characteristics of families in 32 countries. Int Dent J. 2006;56(3):159–67.PubMedCrossRef
20.
Marques-Vidal P, Milagre V. Are oral health status and care associated with anxiety and depression? A study of Portuguese health science students. J Public Health Dent. 2006;66(1):64–6.PubMedCrossRef
21.
Koivusilta LK, West P, Saaristo VM, Nummi T, Rimpelä AH. From childhood socio-economic position to adult educational level - do health behaviours in adolescence matter? A longitudinal study. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:711.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
22.
Anttila S, Knuuttila M, Ylöstalo P, Joukamaa M. Symptoms of depression and anxiety in relation to dental health behavior and self-perceived dental treatment need. Eur J Oral Sci. 2006;114(2):109–14.PubMedCrossRef
23.
Deinzer R, Hilpert D, Bach K, Schawacht M, Herforth A. Effects of academic stress on oral hygiene—a potential link between stress and plaque associated disease? J Clin Periodontol. 2001;28(5):459–64.PubMedCrossRef
24.
Finlayson TL, Williams DR, Siefert K, Jackson JS, Nowjack-Raymer R. Oral health disparities and psychosocial correlates of self-rated oral health in the National Survey of American Life. Am J Public Health. 2010;100(Suppl 1):S246–55.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
25.
Peltzer K, Pengpid S. Oral health behaviour and social and health factors in university students from 26 low, middle and high income countries. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014;11(12):12247–60.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
26.
López R, Ramírez V, Marró P, Baelum V. Psychosocial distress and periodontitis in adolescents. Oral Health Prev Dent. 2012;10(3):211–8.PubMed
27.
28.
29.
Kaltiala-Heino R, Fröjd S, Marttunen M. Sexual harassment and emotional and behavioural symptoms in adolescence: stronger associations among boys than girls. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2016;51(8):1193–201.PubMedCrossRef
30.
31.
Koivusilta L, Honkala S, Honkala E, Rimpelä A. Toothbrushing as part of the adolescent lifestyle predicts education level. J Dent Res. 2003;82(5):361–6.PubMedCrossRef
32.
33.
Savolainen J, Suominen-Taipale A, Uutela A, Aromaa A, Härkänen T, Knuuttila M. Sense of coherence associates with oral and general health behaviours. Community Dent Health. 2009;26(4):197–203.PubMed
34.
Gomes AC, Rebelo MAB, de Queiroz AC, de Queiroz Herkrath APC, Herkrath FJ, Rebelo Vieira JM, et al. Socioeconomic status, social support, oral health beliefs, psychosocial factors, health behaviours and health-related quality of life in adolescents. Qual Life Res. 2020;29(1):141–51.PubMedCrossRef
35.
Padilla-Moledo C, Ruiz JR, Castro-Piñero J. Parental educational level and psychological positive health and health complaints in Spanish children and adolescents. Child Care Health Dev. 2016;42(4):534–43.PubMedCrossRef
36.
Whitehead R, Currie D, Inchley J, Currie C. Educational expectations and adolescent health behaviour: an evolutionary approach. Int J Public Health. 2015;60(5):599–608.PubMedCrossRef
37.
Bright MA, Alford SM, Hinojosa MS, Knapp C, Fernandez-Baca DE. Adverse childhood experiences and dental health in children and adolescents. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2015;43(3):193–9.PubMedCrossRef
38.
Scrine C, Durey A, Slack-Smith L. Providing oral care for adults with mental health disorders: dental professionals’ perceptions and experiences in Perth, Western Australia. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2019;47(1):78–84.PubMedCrossRef
39.
Austregésilo SC, de Goes PSA, de Sena Júnior MR, Pazos CTC. Clustering of oral and general health risk behaviors among adolescents. Prev Med Rep. 2019;15:100936.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
40.
Tanner T, Päkkilä J, Karjalainen K, Kämppi A, Järvelin MR, Patinen P, et al. Smoking, alcohol use, socioeconomic background and oral health among young Finnish adult. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2015;43(5):406–14.PubMedCrossRef
41.
Kobayashi D, Takahashi O, Shimbo T. Frequency of daily tooth brushing and development of any type of malignancy. Anticancer Res. 2019;39(8):4415–21.PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Psychological distress, oral health behaviour and related factors among adolescents: Finnish School Health Promotion Study
Authors
Vesa Pohjola
Meri Nurkkala
Jorma I. Virtanen
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Oral Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6831
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-020-01357-3

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

BMC Oral Health 1/2021 Go to the issue

Research

Clinical changes in the severity of dental fluorosis: a longitudinal evaluation

Research

Comparison of bacterial microleakage of three bioactive endodontic sealers in simulated underwater diving and aviation conditions

Research

Oral disease burden of dentate older adults living in long-term care facilities: FINORAL study

Research

Effect of free gingival graft before implant placement on peri-implant health and soft tissue changes: a randomized controlled trial

Research

Root canal morphology and variations in mandibular second molars: an in vivo cone-beam computed tomography analysis

Research

Women’s awareness regarding the use of dental imaging during pregnancy