BACKGROUND:
Sleep disorder is a precursor to
depression, which is one of the
psychological factors associated with
periodontal disease that, in turn,
affects general and periodontal
health. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between
sleep duration,
depression, and
periodontitis in older people
aged over 65 years.
METHODS:
A total of 2,002 older
adults aged 65 years or older were included in the study. Their general and
health aspects, including
smoking,
drinking, diabetes,
hypertension, and
depression, were investigated.
Periodontitis was examined using the
Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Data were analyzed through a complex sampling design
method. Frequency and crossover analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between
depression and
periodontitis. To investigate the effect of
depression on
periodontitis, a
logistic regression analysis was performed.
RESULTS:
Regarding
depression and participants' general characteristics, statistically significant differences were found in
sex, economic activity,
smoking habit, and CPI (p<0.05). In the presence of
depression, the
odds ratio for
periodontitis was 1.84, and the adjusted
odds ratio for age,
sex, economic activity, residence type,
household income,
education level,
smoking habit,
drinking,
hypertension, and diabetes was 1.72, representing a significant difference (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION:
This study examined the relationship between
depression and
periodontitis in older
persons and confirmed a significant correlation. As the
population of older
adults increases, we should pay
attention to their mental and
oral health as well as systemic
diseases. Various programs for the
health promotion of older
persons need to be implemented to improve the
quality of life of older people.