Dental health: Why fatalism is bad for our teeth

They are known from advertising posters, the perfect series of sparkling white teeth exposed to the so -called toothpaste tales. If Photoshop did not help, then at least bleach, right? They are available to have uncomplicated little ones with the insolent happiness. Teeth that are not yet by you with the dentist drill and is a foreign word for the pain. Most others are not so lucky, have a mouth full of fillings and hits ice on tooth, it has a similar effect to an electric shocker. But why do some have a full bit until the end and others have the first gaps early on? Our attitude to fate plays a role: have found out the inside.

At the European10 Congress of the European Federation of Periodontology, researchers presented a study inside, in which 79 patients took part: inside who came to the Bretonneau University Hospital in Paris for a periodontal examination. On average, the participants were: 46 years old, around two thirds were women. The results once again indicate that psychological factors have an impact on dental health and that therapies could lead to an improvement. For the investigation, the research team collected data on lifestyle, income, education and marital status. The participants: Inside, they answered a psychological questionnaire, and they were also checked for stress levels and possible depression.

The research team found that people who take their lives in hand have fewer dental problems than people who give control and believe that happiness or chance decide on developments in their lives. The fatalists had therefore lost an average of three teeth, two more than those who believe in themselves instead of fate. A similar gradient was shown in gum health. The fateful believers often suffered from severe periodontitis. If this is not treated, this can lead to not only starting to wiggle, but also fail.

But the researchers were not only able to identify fatalism as a factor. In addition, these patients were rather depressed on the inside, according to study author Sebastien Jungo from the University of Paris. He says that the knowledge should encourage dentists to “assess the emotional state of their patients and, if necessary, refer them to suitable psychological care”.

The realization that the psyche has a share in oral health is not new. More and more studies are pointing out in this direction. Mental and psychosomatic complaints such as stress, depression or strokes of fate have an impact on physical well -being. For example, you can lead to tooth misdemeanor or teeth grinding. The Federal Dentistry Association estimates that a fifth of the patient: inside with complaints in dental practices, is mentally impaired or psycho-social factors play a role in the advent and the course of the symptoms.