Assessment of Periodontal Status in Patients with Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study

Depression leads to behavioral and systemic changes making individuals more susceptible to inflammatory diseases. This study was conducted to assess the periodontal status of patients with clinically diagnosed mild and moderate depression.

This cross-sectional study included 135 participants. Test group 1 (n = 45) consisted of patients clinically diagnosed with mild depression, test group 2 (n = 45) included patients with moderate depression and the control group (n = 45) included non-depressive participants. Sociodemographic characteristics and periodontal parameters were recorded.

Plaque levels and gingival inflammation were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in mild and moderate depression patients than in controls. Significant greater number of sites with bleeding on probing, increasing probing pocket depth (PPD), sites with PPD 4-5 mm, ≥6 mm, attachment loss 3-4 mm, and high prevalence with grade C periodontitis were observed in moderate depression patients, compared to patients with mild depression and healthy controls. On applying partial correlation, periodontal parameters were positively correlated with depression, while a negative correlation was found with income status. On regression analysis, bleeding on probing as a dependent variable was also associated with depression.

Patients with moderate depression showed high periodontal destruction and inflammation as compared to those with mild depression. Further, deep pockets were associated with depressive patients. Periodontal care is required in such patients so that the progression of periodontal diseases can be prevented at the earliest.