DOI: 10.7126/cumudj.1936359 ISSN: 1302-5805

Adverse Chıldhood Experıences and Adult Attachment Styles Across Periodontal Health Status: A Comparative Study Of Periodontitis, Gingivitis and Healthy Controls

Zeliha Muslu, Yavuz Sarı, Aslı Enzel Koç
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Objective:The relationship between periodontal diseases and psychosocial factors is being investigated with increasing interest. However, studies examining the association among negative childhood experiences and attachment styles in adulthood, as well as periodontal health, are limited. This study aims to investigate the relationships between childhood trauma and attachment styles in adulthood in patients who are periodontally healthy and those with gingivitis and periodontitis.Materials and Methods:A total of 93 participants aged 18-65 years were recruited from a university dental clinic and categorized into three groups: periodontitis (n=30), gingivitis (n=33), and periodontally healthy controls (n=30). Periodontal status was assessed using clinical parameters, while psychosocial variables were evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II (ECR-II).Results:Attachment anxiety differed across groups and was higher in the gingivitis group than in healthy controls, whereas attachment avoidance did not vary by periodontal status. Physical abuse scores were elevated in the periodontitis group, while other childhood trauma dimensions showed no significant group differences. Within-group analyses showed different patterns across periodontal status: childhood trauma was associated with attachment anxiety in the periodontitis group and with attachment avoidance in the healthy control group, and the strength of the association between childhood trauma and attachment anxiety also differed significantly between the gingivitis and healthy control groups.Conclusion:These results highlight the imperative for doctors to incorporate psychosocial evaluations, particularly childhood trauma histories and adult attachment styles, into periodontal treatment. Taking this kind of multidisciplinary view may improve patient compliance and get the best long-term treatment results.

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