Community dentistry and oral epidemiology
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Community Dent Oral Epidemiol · Aug 2006
A community study on the relationship between stress, coping, affective dispositions and periodontal attachment loss.
Psychological factors may increase the risk for periodontal diseases. Contemporary conceptualization of the stress process supports the evaluation of stress at three levels: stressors, moderating and mediating factors, and stress reactions. ⋯ Chronic job and financial strains, depression, inadequate coping, and maladaptive trait dispositions are significant risk indicators for periodontal attachment loss. Adequate coping and adaptive trait dispositions, evidenced as high problem-focused coping and low anxiety/depression trait, may reduce the stress-associated odds.
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Community Dent Oral Epidemiol · Aug 2006
Dental attitudes: proximal basis for oral health disparities in adults.
Behavioral science postulates that underlying characteristics of populations, rather than sociodemographic groupings, are more proximal causes of oral health disparities through differing oral health behaviors. To our knowledge this is the first report in the literature that examines longitudinal correlates of oral health and dental care using groups of persons holding similar attitudes and beliefs. ⋯ This study takes a novel approach to examining oral healthy disparities. Differences in oral health behaviors support the validity of the groups.