No Dose-Response Association Between Self-Reported Bruxism and Pain-Related Temporomandibular Disorders: A...

To investigate whether a dose-response relationship exists between the intensity of pain-related temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and the amount of self-reported bruxism activities in a group of TMD pain patients.

A total of 768 patients referred to a specialized clinic for complaints of orofacial pain and dysfunction were initially enrolled in the study. Of these patients, 293 who were diagnosed with at least one type of pain-related TMD according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders were selected. The questionnaire-based reports of TMD pain intensity, as assessed by an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS), were subsequently compared to the reports of sleep bruxism (single question; 5-point Likert scale) and awake bruxism (mean score of six questions; 5-point Likert scale). Spearman correlations were used to assess associations, and possible confounding effects of depression, somatic symptoms, and anxiety were taken into account.

Spearman correlation tests provided no significant correlation between the amount of self-reported sleep bruxism and TMD pain intensity. On the other hand, the amount of awake bruxism was positively correlated with the intensity of TMD pain; however, the latter correlation was lost when the model was controlled for the effects of depression.

The assumption that there is a dose-response gradient association between bruxism and TMD pain, reflected in more bruxism leading to more overloading and thus to more pain, could not be justified.