APHTHOUS ULCERS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Introduction: Recurrent aphthous ulcers are one of the most frequent painful conditions affecting the oral mucosa in young adults. Psychosocial stress has been recognized as a contributing factor to the causation of recurrent aphthous ulcers. Aim: To assess the occurrence rate of recurrent aphthous ulcers and their correlation with levels of psychosocial stress among dental students. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study included 383 undergraduate and postgraduate students of a dental college. Google Forms was used for collecting the responses from the participants. In this survey, a questionnaire was used. Two parts were developed for data collection. Part one covered demographic details as well as some prerequisite information on recurrent aphthous ulcers. Psychological stress was evaluated through the second part of the questionnaire using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Results: Among the 383 participants, 80.9% (n=310) had moderate stress, 11.2% (n=43) had high stress and 30 participants had no to minimal stress according to the PSS-10 scale. Conclusion: Recurrent oral ulcers are prevalent among dental students, with stress emerging as a major associative factor. Early identification of stress-related triggers and incorporation of stress-management strategies may play a vital role in tackling their stress levels.