Psychological disorders and their influence on the development of periodontal disease in adolescents. A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Periodontal disease is among the most prevalent oral conditions worldwide. Psychological disorders, typically diagnosed during the first two decades of life, have gained greater importance in recent years. Although the relationship between both conditions has been briefly studied, findings remain inconsistent. The objective of this systematic review is to analyze the involvement of psychological disorders on the development and progression of gingivitis and periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in the PROSPERO (CRD420250651846). Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library using the equation: "(periodontal disease) AND ((adolescents) OR (teenager)) AND (psychological disorder)". Studies conducted in animals, adults, or with unrelated disorders were excluded Results: A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria. Adolescents with psychological disorders consistently showed poorer levels of periodontal health compared to controls, sharing several common risk factors among the pathologies. CONCLUSIONS: The general trend reflects a greater predisposition and prevalence of periodontal pathology symptoms in subjects with psychological disorder. Despite the promising findings, further research using standardized methodologies is required.