Page 172 - FINAL COMPENDIUM 2020-2021 27.2.2022

STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS RELATED TO PERIODONTITIS IN ADULTS ATTENDING DENTAL
CLINIC HOSPITAL UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA, KELANTAN

Zainuddin SLA, Mohd Shuimi MF, Arief EM, Ahmad B, Kassim NK
Introduction: The relationship between stressful life events and periodontitis is
debatable and complicated. Objective: To assess the relationship between stress and
periodontitis and to compare between salivary cortisol in periodontitis and non-
periodontitis groups. Materials and methods: Forty-one patients with periodontitis and
thirty-three control adults with a healthy periodontium/ gingivitis who attended Dental
Clinic at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia were included in
this study. Study groups were assigned as case (periodontitis) and control (non-
periodontitis). The clinical examinations performed on the same day self-administered
questionnaires: Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), Brief-COPE Inventory and
Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) were completed by patients. Saliva collection
using Salivette® Cortisol was done in subsequent visits. All variables were explored for
a possible relationship to periodontitis. Results: There were statistically significant
differences in age, education, smoking status, mean for plaque score, bleeding on
probing and pocket depth between the periodontitis and non-periodontitis groups.
There were significant association between the total number of events, weight positive,
impacts of events and periodontitis. The mean salivary cortisol increased with an
increase in the severity of the periodontal disease. Conclusion: Within limitations in this
study, the results may suggest that stressful life events are a significant risk factor for
periodontitis. There were protective effects of total number of events, weight positive
and impacts of events against periodontitis, and salivary cortisol levels were negatively
associated with periodontitis severity.

Thesis dissertation for Masters of Restorative Dentistry (Periodontics), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 2020

Dr Basaruddin bin Ahmad
Dr Muhammad Firdaus bin Mohd Shuimi Dental Public Health (Biostatistics) Unit
Periodontic Specialist Unit School of Dental Sciences
Tumpat, Kelantan University Sains Malaysia Health Campus
Ministry of Health Kubang Kerian
Malaysia Malaysia

Dr Siti Lailatul binti Akmar Zainuddin Dr Nur Karyatee binti Kassim
AP Dr Erry Mochamad Arief Pathology (Chemical Pathology) Unit
Periodontic Specialist Unit School of Dental Sciences
School of Dental Sciences University Sains Malaysia Health Campus
University Sains Malaysia Health Campus Kubang Kerian
Kubang Kerian Malaysia
Malaysia

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