The impact of stress, anxiety and depression on stomatognathic system of physiotherapy and dentistry first-year students.

INTRODUCTION: It is well proven that psychoemotional factors play causative role in development of many civilization diseases. Psychosocial stress is effecting with development of certain oral parafunctions like teeth grinding, bruxism, or cheeks biting. Eventually, all of those parafunctional activities may cause increase of masticatory muscles tone and provoke its intensification. Literature indicates that students must cope with greater level of stressful situations than the average representative of the society. METHODS: The research group comprised Ist-year physiotherapy and dentistry students from University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw and Wroclaw Medical University. The study consisted the following: psychological and health questionnaires, and stomatological examination with masseter muscles' electromyography. RESULTS: In intraoral examination, symptoms of parafunctions were more frequently observed in physiotherapy students. The mean tone of masseters was higher also among physiotherapy students. The level of perceived stress was high in both groups, and the experienced borderline and incorrect results in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were more frequently observed in dentistry students. The mean tone of masseter muscle was rising with the level of anxiety in physiotherapy group. Among dentistry, the tendency for rise of masseter muscle tone together with level of anxiety and depression was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Physiotherapy and dentistry beginners differ between each other's by prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and oral parafunction symptoms. The level of perceived stress is high in both groups. The level of experienced anxiety and depression is higher in dentistry group. In both study groups, there is significant growth and tendency for simultaneous rise of masseter muscle tone accordingly to stress, anxiety, and depression indicators.

Psychopathological profile and quality of life of patients with oral lichen planus.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic, multifocal, sometimes painful, inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa. OLP can predispose development of psycho-emotional disorders. Until now, the relationship between the severity of lichen planus and the psychological profile of patients (psychological well-being, perceived stress and pain coping strategies) has never been studied. Study was conducted on 42 OLP patients. Number of sites involved, severity and activity score of OLP were evaluated. Psychological tests were used to evaluate patients' psycho-emotional condition. The mean duration time of symptomatic OLP was 43 months. We detected that the longer the duration of subjective symptoms, the poorer the quality of life and the higher the level of perceived stress (PSS). Also, the higher the PSS results, the greater the anxiety and depression on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Likewise, higher level of depression in HADS was strongly correlated with worse quality of life. (p≤0.05). In this study, we detected a relationship between duration of the disease, level of perceived stress and quality of life. The longer the disease lasts, the higher it tends to catastrophize. This may influence development or increase of the anxiety and depression and may decrease patients' quality of life.

Psychopathological profile and quality of life of patients with oral lichen planus

Abstract Objectives Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic, multifocal, sometimes painful, inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa. OLP can predispose development of psycho-emotional disorders. Until now, the relationship between the severity of lichen planus and the psychological profile of patients (psychological well-being, perceived stress and pain coping strategies) has never been studied. Material and Methods Study was conducted on 42 OLP patients. Number of sites involved, severity and activity score of OLP were evaluated. Psychological tests were used to evaluate patients' psycho-emotional condition. The mean duration time of symptomatic OLP was 43 months. Results We detected that the longer the duration of subjective symptoms, the poorer the quality of life and the higher the level of perceived stress (PSS). Also, the higher the PSS results, the greater the anxiety and depression on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Likewise, higher level of depression in HADS was strongly correlated with worse quality of life. (p≤0.05). Conclusions In this study, we detected a relationship between duration of the disease, level of perceived stress and quality of life. The longer the disease lasts, the higher it tends to catastrophize. This may influence development or increase of the anxiety and depression and may decrease patients' quality of life.