Objectives: Previous investigations have confirmed that every fifth dental patient suffers from clinically significant depressive symptoms. However, the putative impact of depressive symptoms on the prosthetic status has not been addressed in these studies. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between depressive symptoms and prosthetic status based on data from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0).
Methods: Data from 2,135 participants aged 30 to 59 years were analyzed. A classification (six classes regarding the number and position of missing teeth per jaw) was used to identify the degree of prosthetic status (no/suboptimal/optimal tooth replacement). The presence of depressive symptoms was assessed with a modified version of von Zerssen's complaints scale. Screening for lifetime diagnoses of mental disorders was performed with the Composite International Diagnostic-Screener (CID-S). Multivariable logistic regressions including several confounders were calculated.
Results: A significant protective dose-response effect of depressive symptoms on prosthetic status was found only in men for the lower jaw [0-1 depressive symptoms: odds ratio (OR) = 3.84, 95 % confidence interval (CI, 1.65-8.92), p < 0.01; 2-3: OR = 2.87 (CI, 1.22-6.74), p < 0.05; reference, ≥8; adjusted for age, school education, smoking status, household income, marital status, living without a partner, risky alcohol consumption, obesity, diabetes, and physical activity]. There was no such association in women or for the upper jaw. The analyses using the CID-S confirmed these results.
Conclusions: In the lower jaw, men with depressive symptoms had a better prosthetic status than men without depressive symptoms suggesting a higher level of concern regarding their personal health.
Clinical relevance: If dentists might have an opportunity to identify men with depressive symptoms they can provide a wide range of treatment options that may enhance patients' self-esteem and contribute to the patient' well-being. Furthermore, depressive symptoms could indicate a discrepancy between self-perception of the dental health and the actual status which influence the dentists' treatment decision making.