Self-reported bruxism mirrors anxiety and stress in adults

• Published in: Medicina oral, patología oral y cirugía bucal Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. e7 - e11
• Main Authors: Ahlberg, Jari, Lobbezoo, Frank, Ahlberg, Kristiina, Manfredini, Daniele, Hublin, Christer, Sinisalo, Juha, Könönen, Mauno, Savolainen, Aslak
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Spain Medicina Oral S.L 01-01-2013
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety - complications; Bruxism - complications; Bruxism - psychology; Dentistry; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oral Medicine and Pathology; Self Report; Stress, Psychological - complications
• ISSN: 1698-6946; 1698-4447; 1698-6946
• DOI: 10.4317/medoral.18232

The aims were to analyze whether the levels of self-reported bruxism and anxiety associate among otherwise healthy subjects, and to investigate the independent effects of anxiety and stress experience on the probability of self-reported bruxism.
As part of a study on irregular shift work, a questionnaire was mailed to all employees of the Finnish Broadcasting Company with irregular shift work (number of subjects: n=750) and to an equal number of randomly selected employees in the same company with regular eight-hour daytime work.
The response rates were 82.3% (56.6 % men) and 34.3 % (46.7 % men), respectively. Among the 874 respondents, those aware of more frequent bruxism reported significantly more severe anxiety (p<0.001). Adjusted by age and gender, frequent bruxers were more than two times more likely to report severe stress (odds ratio 2.5; 95% confidence interval 1.5-4.2) and anxiety (odds ratio 2.2; 95% confidence interval 1.3-3.6) than non-or-mild bruxers.
Present findings suggest that self-reported bruxism and psychological states such as anxiety or stress may be related in working age subjects.