ArticleResearch square2026
Oral Health Status and Cardinal Symptoms of Depression in the Old Order Amish: a cross-sectional study.
Article in Research square, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Background: Although results have been mixed, possibly owing to high confounding heterogeneity within and across studies, multiple efforts suggest that tooth loss and periodontitis are associated with depression. Methods: We analyzed questionnaires on dental health and depression obtained as a component of a Wellness study in 4,288 Old Order Amish (mean age = 43.5 ± 16.8 years; 57% women), a population with relatively high genetic and lifestyle homogeneity. Specifically, we obtained questionnaires reporting the use of removable partial/complete dentures (false teeth) and cardinal symptoms of depression (dysphoria/hopelessness and anhedonia), and we analyzed their associations using multivariable logistic regression, with adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, and occupation (farmer vs. non-farmer). Results: We report statistically significant associations between dentures and current (but not "ever") depression symptom ratings (p < 0.05). The most robust associations were between current anhedonia AND dysphoria/hopelessness and the presence of any dentures (versus no dentures) (OR 1.760 [1.131, 2.737], p = 0.012), and the presence of complete dentures (versus partial or no dentures) (OR 1.794 [1.008, 3.193], p = 0.047). Conclusions: In this relatively homogeneous population, denture use-particularly complete dentures-was associated with current anhedonia and dysphoria/hopelessness. A primary strength of the study is its relatively homogeneous population, with a low prevalence of smoking-an important confounding factor-and limited access to both prophylactic dental care and fluoridated water, which collectively enhance the reliability of the findings. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data. These findings warrant replication in future longitudinal studies incorporating dental and clinical examinations, imaging, and laboratory biomarkers.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.