Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis and Associated Psychological, Sleep and Lifestyle Factors in Dental Students of a Non-Government Dental College

Ahmed, Anam; Ahsan, Nafiz; Mannan, Huda

doi:10.5281/zenodo.17743952

Published January 2022 | Version v1

Journal article Open

Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis and Associated Psychological, Sleep and Lifestyle Factors in Dental Students of a Non-Government Dental College

1. Associate Professor (CC), Department of Dental Public Health, University Dental College & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2. MS (Phase–A) Resident, Department of Prosthodontics, BSMMU Shahbag, Dhaka.
3. Assistant Professor, Department of Pedodontics, University Dental College & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Contributors

Contact person:

Ahmed, Anam¹

1. Associate Professor (CC), Department of Dental Public Health, University Dental College & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Email: dph.udc@gmail.com

Abstarct

Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) remains the most prevalent form of oral ulcerative disease. RAS is associated with psychological stress, lifestyle factors, and certain dietary habits. This study focuses on the occurrence of RAS and found out the psychological, sleep and lifestyle factors among dental students.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 140 dental students, aged 18 to 24 years, at a private dental college in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Participants' demographics, characteristics of RAS, psychological factors (HADS anxiety and depression scales, the Perceived Stress Scale), sleep patterns, oral hygiene habits, and diet were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS Version 25.0.
Results: The prevalence of RAS was 15.0% (n=21). The mean frequency of episodes was 2.3±1.1 per year and the ulcers lasted on average 6.1±2.8 days. Stress (35.0%), trauma (25.0%), food or hormonal factors (20.0%), and unknown cause (20.0%) were self-reported triggers. The mean HADS score was 9.2±4.1 for anxiety and 7.8±3.9 for depression. Participants reported an average of 6.2±1.5 hours of sleep per night. Oral hygiene practices were inconsistent; 70.0% of students reported brushing their teeth twice a day and 45.0% reported using a tongue cleaner. A mixed diet was reported by 80% of the participants.
Conclusions: Dental students demonstrate positive oral health behaviors through twice-daily brushing, low tobacco and alcohol use, and balanced diets, correlating with good oral health outcomes. However, average stress levels, anxiety, depression symptoms, and poor sleep quality indicate the dental curriculum's psychological impact on students' health. While most practice good oral hygiene, they underutilize dental floss and mouthwash. Students with family history of stress commonly experience recurrent aphthous stomatitis, highlighting the need for an integrated health approach focusing on psychology and sleep to improve dental students' overall health.