Anxiety disorders, which include phobias, panic attacks, generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), are serious conditions with oral health implications, according to a report published in the November/December 2003 issue of General Dentistry, the clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

"Oral health problems associated with anxiety disorders include canker sores, dry mouth, lichen planus (a common disease affecting the skin and oral mucous membranes), burning mouth syndrome and temporomandibular joint disorders," says lead report author James W. Little, DMD.