ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Oral Health
Sec. Oral Health Promotion
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/froh.2025.1652658
This article is part of the Research TopicPromoting A Lifespan Approach to Oral Health and Oral Health-Related Quality of LifeView all 6 articles
Factors Influencing Mental Health and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Population with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Cross-Sectional Study
Provisionally accepted
- 1Yangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yangzhou, China
- 2Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Background: Recurrent episodes-induced oral functional limitations exacerbate anxiety, depression, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) impairments in Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) patients. However, the specific factors driving these psychological and OHRQoL deteriorations remain incompletely understood. Objectives: We aimed to quantify psychological distress and OHRQoL impairments in RAS patients and to identify modifiable risk factors underlying these deteriorations to inform targeted interventions. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed RAS patients via an online/paper questionnaire. Demographic data, clinical information, the level of anxiety, depression and OHRQoL were collected and analyzed. Results: Prolonged ulcer duration and preference for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) interventions are significant risk factors for the development of anxious and depressive symptoms in RAS patients. Frequent consumption of fried foods (OR: 3.88, p= 0.006) increases the risk of anxiety. Patients with high fruit intake frequency (B: 3.42, p < 0.001) exhibit more severe anxiety symptoms. Spicy food intake (B: -1.18, p = 0.004) has a mitigating effect on anxiety. Anxious RAS patients with frequent vegetable intake (B: -3.33, p < 0.001) experience reduced anxiety levels. Larger ulcer diameter (B = 2.09, p = 0.017), higher ulcer recurrence frequency (B=4.74, p < 0.001), and frequent consumption of fried foods (B = 2.19, p = 0.002) exacerbate depressive symptoms in depressive RAS patients. Worsening of pain, frequent consumption of fried foods (B=2.68, p = 0.004), moderate fruit intake (B = 1.39, p= 0.019), and preference for TCM interventions (B = 2.08, p = 0.022) demonstrate poorer OHRQoL. Conclusions: Ulcer characteristics, dietary habits, and preference for TCM interventions were impairing risks for psychological distress and OHRQoL in RAS patients. Therefore, personalized psychological interventions should maintain control of mental health and OHRQoL, thereby reducing ulcer recurrence and improving outcomes.
Keywords: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis, dietary habits, TCM, Mental Health, OHRQoL
Received: 24 Jun 2025; Accepted: 09 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Weng, Li and Hou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sicong Hou, shou@yzu.edu.cn
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