Prevalence of oral and parafunctional habits in Nigerian patients suffering temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction

Abstract

Pain and dysfunction of the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) still pose a therapeutic dilemma to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Epidemiological data on the disorder in Nigerians appear not to be available, as only few studies are recorded.1 Studies from North America revealed a prevalence rate of 12.1% amongst adults, 2 although some authors have claimed that pain, clicking and locking have been experienced by approximately 20% of the general population. Pain in the joint and muscles is often distressing to patients. Advances in research in this area have thrown more light on the probable causes of the pain. The concept of inflammatory changes in the joint synovium, capsule or retrodiscal tissues as the principal underlying cause of pain has been documented. 4 Large quantities of inflammatory mediators of pain were identified in the synovial fluid of Prevalence of oral and parafunctional habits in Nigerian patients suffering temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction BDO Saheeb ABSTRACTThis study was conducted to determine the prevalence of oral and parafunctional habits in Nigerian patients suffering temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction. It consisted of patients that were referred for treatment at the oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. A pre-designed data form was used to collect information on age, gender, reasons for attendance, joint pain, side of pain, clicking, oral habits known to patient, parafunctional habits, occlusion and dietary habits. A total of 29 patients comprising 48.3% male and 51.7% female in a male to female ratio of 1:1.1 were studied. Their age ranged from 17 to 70 years. Eighty two per cent of them complained of joint pain on presentation while 17.1% complained of muscle pain. The joint pain was mainly unilateral in 62.1% and bilateral in 20.7%. Twenty six (89.7%) patients indulged in oral and parafunctional habits such as unilateral mastication 65.5%, hand-on-chin posture 58.6%, clenching 17.2%, tooth grinding 13.8%, chewing gum 37.9%, and finger and nail biting 24.1%. In all, 31.0% of males and 34.5% of females had clicking joints. Reciprocal click was detected in 52.6% of the study sample. There was a prevalence of 89.7% of oral and parafunctional habits in Nigerian patients suffering temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction.

Prospective study of a group of pre-university students evaluating anxiety and depression relationships with temporomandibular disorders.

“…These results are similar to those described by other studies in the literature, where the authors reported 58% for anxiety and 23% for depression ( 25 ), 15% moderate depression and 13% severe depression ( 19 ), 21% depression in the group of patients with joint pain, 26% in the group with myofascial pain and 25% in the group with myofascial and joint pain ( 26 ) and 19% of patients with severe depression ( 4 ). There are some differences in the results of this study when compared to the 40% for moderate and severe depression ( 18 ) or even the 25% for anxiety ( 27 ). These differences should not be credited only to methodological differences, but they may also be explained by differences in cultural, social and economic factors, education, the health of the researched population, and the fact that the questionnaires used to determine the rate of anxiety and depression in the studies mentioned are based on values of societies that are different from the individuals in this study ( 18 , 27 ).…”

Prevalence of nail biting and its association with mental health in a community sample of children

“…Moreover, about one forth of patients with temporo-mandibular joint pain and dysfunction have nail biting habit [7]. …”

Detecting mental disorders in dental patients with occlusion‐related problems

“…Saheeb and Otakpor reported that mental disorders (e.g. generalized anxiety disorder and dysthymic disorder) were found in 37.5% of the patients who complained of pain and dysfunction of temporomandibular joints 17 . According to the report by Korszun et al ., 28% of their patients were diagnosed as having major depressive disorder and 25% with minor depressive disorder; 22% of their patients had depressive symptoms, although they did not satisfy the criteria for diagnosis of depressive disorders 18 .…”