Investigating the Impact of Gingival Health on Cognitive Emotions Regulation

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the interrelationship between gingival status and cognitive emotion regulation. The impact on oral health behaviours was also examined. Material and Methods: The present study sample consisted of 190 first year dental students. The questionnaire included information about socio-demographic factors, behavioral variables and self-reported oral health status. To measure the specific cognitive strategies, the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) was used (Garnefski et al., 2002). Results: Self-reported gingival bleeding was associated with statistical significant higher values of self-blame and rumination. Participants who evaluated their self-reported gingival condition as poor/very poor scored higher values on rumination, catastrophising and lower on positive reappraisal, when compared with students with excellent gingival condition. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that presence of gingival bleeding was an independent determinant of self-blame, rumination and putting into perspective. Among participants with positive self-reported gingival bleeding, reason for dental visits was significantly correlated with positive refocusing, planning, positive reappraisal, putting into perspective and catrastrophizing. Positive reappraisal was found to be a mediating variable in the relationship between gingival status and reason for dental visits. Thus, positive reappraisal helps to explain the association between gingival status and reason for dental visits. Conclusions: Helping patients to challenge these maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies may therefore play an important role on the focus and content of (preventive) oral health behaviour interventions to be developed for patients with gingival and periodontal disease.