Risk Factor: Psychosocial

Question 1

How is having depression linked to periodontal treatment?

Answer 1

Poorer treatment outcome and tooth loss

Question 2

How does stress affect periodontal tissue?

Answer 2

1) Impact on body system: Increase in certain hormones leading to an immunosuppressive effect such as IL1, TNFalpha, IL6
2) More acute phase proteins from the liver such as C reactive protein
3) Impairment of immune cells and wound healing

Question 3

When the body is stressed, there is a release of cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. What is the effect of cortisol release?

Answer 3

Inhibition of chemotaxis, secretion and degranulation in immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages. This has an immunosuppressive effect making the host response less effective.

Question 4

If a patient has a poor coping style to stress, what happens to the attachment loss?

Answer 4

Becomes more severe