Maryam Alsadat Hashemipour - Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Leili Mohammadi - Dentist, Private Practice, Kerman, Iran
Seyed Amir Hossein Gandjalikhan-Nassab - Resident, Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The habit of grinding teeth together is called grinding and the scientific term is “bruxism”. Bruxism usually occurs in deep sleep or when the person is under stress. This motivates the authors to investigate the relationship between stress and anxiety with the rate of free informed bruxism in the present work.METHODS: This research was a cross-sectional study and the population under analysis was adults over ۱۸ years of age who referred to dental clinics of Kerman, Iran, and also people who accompanied them (simple census). The ethical approval code was IR.KMU.REC.۱۳۹۹.۳۲۱. The investigations included questioning the patients about the history of bruxism and clenching. The information was analyzed by chi-square test, using SPSS software with ۰.۰۵ confidence level.RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported bruxism was ۲۳.۲% and ۱۵.۱% among women and men, respectively. The percentage of clenching alone was ۲۷.۳%, and it was ۲۳.۵% and ۲۵.۶% in women and men, respectively. The prevalence of bruxism and clenching together was ۹.۸ %. In patients suffering from bruxism, the prevalence of temporomandibular signs was ۲۴.۶%, the feeling of fatigue, stiffness, or pain after awakening was ۲۳.۵%, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sound was ۶.۹%, and limitation in mouth opening was ۸.۸%. In patients suffering from clenching, TMJ sound was ۵.۸%, oral pain was ۸.۸%, and limitation in mouth opening was ۱۰.۵%. Between ۳۶۵ respondents, people who were aware of their bruxism significantly reported more anxiety.CONCLUSION: Based on the present findings, self-reported bruxism, anxiety, and stress may be associated with each other.

Bruxism, Stress, Anxiety