Prevalence of painful temporomandibular disorders, awake bruxism and sleep bruxism among patients with severe post‐traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Background Post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and may be part of the aetiology of awake bruxism (AB) and sleep bruxism (SB). Investigating the associations between PTSD symptoms on the one hand, and painful TMD, AB and SB on the other, can help tailoring treatment to the needs of this patient group. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between PTSD symptoms and painful TMD, AB and SB among patients with PTSD, focusing on prevalence, symptom severity and the influence of trauma history on the presence of painful TMD, AB and SB. Methods Individuals (N = 673) attending a specialised PTSD clinic were assessed (pre‐treatment) for painful TMD (TMD pain screener), AB and SB (Oral Behaviours Checklist), PTSD symptoms (Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale) and type of traumatic events (Life Events Checklist). Results Painful TMD, AB and SB were more prevalent among patients with PTSD (28.4%, 48.3% and 40.1%, respectively) than in the general population (8.0%, 31.0% and 15.3%, respectively; all p's < .001). PTSD symptom severity was found to be significantly, but poorly, associated with the severity of painful TMD (rs = .126, p = .001), AB (rs = .155, p < .001) and SB (rs = .084, p = .029). Patients who had been exposed to sexual assault were more likely to report AB than patients who had not. Similarly, exposure to physical violence was associated with increased odds for SB. Conclusion Patients with severe PTSD are more likely to experience painful TMD, AB or SB, whereas type of traumatic event can be of influence. These findings can contribute to selecting appropriate treatment modalities when treating patients with painful TMD, AB and SB.

Temporomandibular Disorders and Bruxism among Sex Workers—A Cross Sectional Study

“…A vast majority of the diagnosed subjects (95%) experienced physical and/or sexual trauma [46], which contributed further to the development of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) [48,49]. Patients with severe PTSD are more likely to experience painful TMD, AB or SB, whereas type of traumatic event can be of influence [50].…”

Post‐traumatic stress, prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in war veterans: Systematic review with meta‐analysis

“…One of the physical effects that may result from war stress is temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Temporomandibular disorder is a group of disorders that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles around it 15,16–18 . It can cause a range of symptoms, such as pain, difficulty chewing, clicking or popping sounds when opening and closing the mouth, and headaches.…”

“…Temporomandibular disorder is a group of disorders that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the muscles around it. 15,[16][17][18] It can cause a range of symptoms, such as pain, difficulty chewing, clicking or popping sounds when opening and closing the mouth, and headaches. Temporomandibular disorder is generally caused by issues in the muscles, joints and ligaments that control the jaw.…”

The Association Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review

“…TMD and war trauma have been linked in studies on Croatian war veterans. Combat veterans with PTSD had more symptoms of orofacial pain, headache, clicking, and crepitus of the temporomandibular joint [ 17 , 18 ]. Earlier studies have indicated that someone with TMD is more likely to have undergone a traumatic life event than someone without TMD [ 19 ].…”