Original scientific paper
The Influence of Psychological Factors on the Occurrence of Symptoms of Dryness and Burning in the Mouth
Ivica Richter
; Privatna ordinacija "Dr. Ivica Richter" Fužine, Hrvatska
Iva Vidas
; Katedra za oralnu patologiju Stomatološki studij Medicinskog fakulteta u Rijeci, Rijeka, Hrvatska
Abstract
The investigation was carried out in order to examine the presence of dryness and burning in the mouths of patients in the region of Fuzina and Lokva in Gorski Kotar, and to determine the correlation of such oral changes with the occurrence of self-esteem, anxiety and neuroticism in these patients. The examined sample comprised 277 randomly selected mature patients. All patients were subjected to a detailed oral examination and relevant oral testing. Each patient was asked to complete a specially prepared psycho-test, consisting of subtests "18 PF" - Momi- rović et al. The results show that symptoms of extreme dryness in the mouth occurred in 12.27% of subjects, slight dryness in 7.58% and burning in the mouth in 10.3%. The occurrence of the symptoms of dryness and burning are mutually, statistically correlated. The results of the psycho-tests in the examined sample indicate that a tendency towards a high degree of self-esteem, low degree of anxiety and even lower degree of neuroticism. The investigation confirmed a positive significant statistical correlation between anxiety, neuroticism and oral symptoms. No correlation with different intensities of self-esteem was found.
Keywords
xerostomia; stomatopyrosis; self-esteem; anxiety; neuroticism
Hrčak ID:
97602
URI
Publication date:
15.6.1999.
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