Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders in Adult Women with Endometriosis

Background/Objectives: The prevalence of endometriosis varies between 10% and 18%, while temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) concern between 29 and 34% of the general population. Both conditions share similar etiological factors and symptoms such as widespread, chronic pain. Therefore, both are qualified as Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions. Even though TMDs and endometriosis appear to be comorbidities, up until now, no research has examined how the incidence rates compare between them. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence of TMD symptoms in women with endometriosis in the Polish population. Methods: 163 adult women with endometriosis, aged 32.41 ± 6.76 years, completed an anonymous online survey regarding their medical history and TMD symptoms. The participants were screened for TMD symptoms using two questionnaires-3Q/TMD and TMD Pain Screener (part of the DC/TMD protocol). The history mainly consisted of a chronology of symptoms' appearance, medical consultations, and final confirmation of the diagnosis, to establish delay time. Results: The analysis revealed that 77.3% of women with endometriosis showed TMD symptoms, and 49.08% of the whole studied population showed important pain levels. Then, the sample was divided into two groups according to the 3Q/TMD questionnaire-a TMD and an nTMD group. The results showed significantly higher pain levels in the TMD group (r = 0.721) compared to non-symptomatic subjects. The mean patients' delay time (T1) was 2.81 ± 4.40 years, and the mean doctors' delay (T2) was 5.32 ± 5.65 years. Conclusions: The results provide a new insight into the relationship between endometriosis and TMD. The prevalence of the latter condition was found to be high, creating a strong recommendation for the use of TMD screening tools in this particular population.