Oral Health and Mental Health Interactions

Oral health and mental health are interconnected through behavioural, biological and social pathways. Psychological distress, cognitive impairment and socioeconomic adversity can compromise oral hygiene practices, dietary choices and service utilisation, leading to elevated rates of dental caries, periodontal inflammation and tooth loss among individuals with mental illness. Conversely, oral disease generates chronic inflammation and psychosocial burden, which may exacerbate anxiety, depression and quality of life. Medication-induced xerostomia and altered salivary composition further amplify risk, while stigma and financial barriers restrict access to care. Recognition of these bidirectional influences has spurred interest in integrated care models, whereby dental professionals collaborate with mental health teams to deliver preventive education, screening and tailored interventions. Global programmes emphasise oral health literacy and interdisciplinary training to mitigate these co-morbidities and enhance overall health outcomes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have applied Mendelian randomisation to examine causal links between periodontal disease and schizophrenia. Genetic instruments derived from large European cohorts reveal no significant effect of periodontal disease on schizophrenia risk but indicate a slight genetic influence of schizophrenia liability on periodontal outcomes. Sensitivity analyses support the robustness of these findings, suggesting minimal bidirectional causality despite shared inflammatory pathways. These results illustrate the utility of genetic epidemiology in disentangling complex oral-mental interactions and highlight potential avenues for mechanistic research and personalised preventive strategies.

Oral Health and Mental Health Interactions publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in oral health and mental health interactions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Periodontal disease: Chronic inflammatory condition affecting the gums and supporting structures of the teeth, often resulting in tissue destruction and tooth loss.

Mendelian randomisation: A genetic epidemiology method that uses inherited genetic variants as proxies for modifiable exposures to infer causal relationships.

Xerostomia: Subjective sensation of dry mouth, commonly induced by psychiatric medications, which increases risk of dental caries and mucosal disorders.

Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index: A quantitative measure of dental caries experience, summing the number of decayed, missing due to decay, and filled permanent teeth.

References

1. Oral health and individuals with a lived experience of an eating disorder: a qualitative study. Journal of Eating Disorders (2023).
2. Association between periodontal disease and schizophrenia: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Scientific Reports (2024).
3. Oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of people living with mental illness: a mixed-methods systematic review. BMC Public Health (2024).
4. The relationship between self-reported poor mental health and complete tooth loss among the US adult population in 2019. Frontiers in Oral Health (2024).