Association between self-reported oral disease/conditions and symptoms of depression among Iraqi individuals

Aims: The negative impact of oral diseases on the function, economy, and general health of the population is well-documented. In the last decades, evidence linking increased expression of depression and oral diseases/conditions has significantly increased. The aim of this study is to assess the association between oral disease/conditions and self-reported symptoms of depression individuals. Methods: A specially designed questionnaire was distributed via social media for 1 week. It consisted of two main sections; the first section was dedicated to collect demographic variables and self-reported symptoms of oral diseases. The second section, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), was used to assess the severity of depression via nine questions using a 4-point Likert scale. Association between depression and oral disease was determined by linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 1975 participants responded fully to the questionnaire and were included in the final analysis. The majority of participants, about 60%, showed mild to moderate symptoms of depression, while 8.9% expressed severe symptoms. Oral diseases positively associated with depression were caries, missing teeth, gingival bleeding, gingival recession, teeth mobility, and thy mouth (R2 = .155). In contrast, increased esthetic level of teeth/gingiva significantly decreased the feeling of depression. Conclusions: Results indicated that oral diseases, particularly those adversely affecting function and esthetics, were associated with symptoms of depression in Iraqi individuals. These findings highlighted the importance of maintaining oral health as part of the general psychological wellbeing of the population.