Temporomandibular disorders prevalence in university students and its relation to stress and anxiety

Identifier:  TFG:1773

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG1773

Authors:  Riera Ferrer, Andrea

Abstract:
Background. The temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common in the population, and they could be related with emotional factors. Both TDM and orofacial pain can appear with more intensity if the subject is going through a stressful or anxiety situation. Objective. To determine the prevalence and intensification of TMD and orofacial pain in subjects who pass through an examination period. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed. The sample consisted of 153 participants (58.2% women); mean age: 19.9 (1.88) years; range age: 18-26 years. They were submitted to a questionnaire divided into three parts: Diagnostic Criteria for the Investigation of Temporomandibular Disorders (CDI / TTM), anxiety questionnaire (STAI-state) and Vital Events Scale of Holmes and Rahe (VES). Results. An 80.4% of the subjects presented TMD and a 37.3% orofacial pain; in addition, a 35.3% had both of them. In both problems, the female population took precedence, being the most prevalent items: bruxism, tinnitus and blocked jaw, in this order. Regarding the intensity of pain, it is also bigger in women and incapacitates a mean of 4.61 days in 6 months during daily live activities. If we compared during the examination period, 49.0% presented orofacial pain, a large majority of participants already presented it as well as TTM. Finally, the high stress levels presented by the subjects were predominantly low (9.2%), like those obtained with anxiety (5.2%). Conclusion. There is a high prevalence of TMD in university students while the intensification of these disorders also increases in these periods of stress and anxiety. A decisive factor is to belong to female sex.