Coronavirus Lockdown as a Major Life Stressor: Does It Affect TMD Symptoms?
Sabina Saccomanno1, Mauro Bernabei2, Fabio Scoppa3,4
1Orthodontic Residency, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|December 3, 2020
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown exacerbated temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and facial pain in many individuals. Stress from the pandemic significantly influenced the onset and worsening of these painful TMD symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are multifactorial, influenced by both physical and psychological stressors.
- Stress is a known trigger or exacerbating factor for TMD symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant life stressor, and the onset and worsening of TMD symptoms.
- To evaluate the perception of the pandemic as a stressful event in individuals experiencing aggravated TMD symptoms.
Main Methods:
- 182 subjects completed questionnaires during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy.
- Assessments included TMD symptoms (RDC/TMD Axis II), perceived stress (PSS), and pandemic-related stress.
- Data collected on symptom onset, worsening, and correlation with lockdown-induced social changes.
Main Results:
- 40.7% of subjects reported TMD symptoms in the past month.
- 60.8% experienced new facial pain onset in the last three months.
- 51.4% reported symptom worsening linked to pandemic stress and lockdown.
Conclusions:
- Pandemic-related stress and lockdown measures appear to have influenced the onset and exacerbation of temporomandibular joint disorders and facial pain.
- Individual responses to pandemic stressors varied, highlighting a complex interplay between stress and TMD development.
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