Effect of Trait Anxiety on Oral Health Status: A Review Article

Abstract

Introduction: A bidirectional relationship exists between oral and mental health. Certain personality traits, such as trait anxiety, can modify this relationship. No previous review article has summarized the findings of studies investigating this topic. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to investigate and summarize findings on the effect of trait anxiety on the oral health status of individuals. Methods and results of literature review: PubMed electronic database was searched using a pre-defined search strategy. Snowballing techniques were conducted to review additional studies. Four relevant studies, from Brazil, India, and Turkey, were identified with the purpose of assessing the relationship between trait anxiety and oral health outcomes, such as periodontal disease and dental caries. However, findings of those studies yielded inconsistent results. Conclusions: Evidence on the association between high trait anxiety and worsening of oral health outcomes exists. However, due to the small number of studies, in addition to the inconsistent results, definite conclusions could not be drawn. Based on existing evidence, it is recommended that future studies focus on personality traits, particularly trait anxiety, as a risk factor for worsening of oral health outcomes. More studies on this topic should also be conducted in the Middle Eastern region.