Diet and risk of temporomandibular disorders: a Mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Objectives Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are the second most prevalent musculoskeletal condition after chronic low back pain, and have been demonstrated to be associated with a multiple factors. However, studies on the relationship between diet and TMD are limited. This study examined the causal association between diet and TMD using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Materials and methods Leveraging large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, we employed MR analysis to assess the causal associations between diet and TMD. This study employed three primary methods: weighted median, MR-Egger, and inverse variance weighting (IVW). Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was performed to verify the results’ robustness. Results Our results suggested that a higher intake of tea, alcoholic drinks, and fizzy drinks correlated with an increased risk of TMD ( alcoholic drinks per week: odds ratio (OR) = 1.714; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.056–2.782; P = 0.029; tea intake: OR = 1.476; 95% CI, 1.012–2.151; P = 0.043; fizzy drink intake: OR = 2.712; 95% CI, 1.504–4.890; P = 0.001). Sensitivity analysis revealed no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy. However, no significant association was observed between TMD and other dietary intakes. Conclusions In this study, we presented convincing evidence supporting the presence of a causal link between diet and TMD. Refraining from excessive consumption of alcohol, tea, and fizzy beverages may contribute to TMD prevention. Clinical relevance Acknowledging the significance of diet as a controllable factor in preventing and managing TMD is crucial, and our research provides valuable perspectives on this matter.