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COVID-19 pandemic and the psyche, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders triangle
Anna Colonna1,2, Luca Guarda-Nardini3, Marco Ferrari1
1School of Dentistry, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Objective:
To investigate the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on the report of psychological status, bruxism, and TMD symptoms.
Methods:
An online survey was drafted to report the presence of psychological status, bruxism activities, and reported symptoms of TMDs perceived during the COVID-19 pandemic in a population of 506 individuals.
Results:
Mental health is not positive during the Coronavirus pandemic: almost half the subjects reported an increase in bruxism behaviors, while up to one-third reported an increase in their symptoms involving the TMJ and jaw muscles. Specifically, 36% and 32.2% of participants reported increased pain in the TMJ and facial muscles, respectively, and almost 50% of the subjects also reported more frequent migraines and/or headaches.
Conclusion:
Increased psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 pandemic can increase the frequency of TMD symptoms and bruxism behaviors, which, in turn, constitute a triangle of mutually interacting factors with the psychological and emotional status.
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