Relationship between mental health and tooth fracture among Korean adolescents: analysis using data from the 19th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between tooth fractures and overall mental health by data from the 19th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023. Methods: The participants were 52,880 adolescents attending middle and high schools. The chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to examine the association between mental health and tooth fractures. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Results: Overall, 26.0%, 82.6%, 13.5%, and 55.6% of participants experienced sadness and despair, stress cognition, suicidal ideation, and loneliness, respectively. In the groups that experienced sadness·despair, stress, and loneliness, the experience of tooth fractures was significantly higher (1.28 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.20-1.38], 1.09 [95% CI: 1.00-1.19], and 1.12 [95% CI: 1.05-1.20] times, respectively). Conclusions: We found an association between mental health and tooth fractures among adolescents.