Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders and Their Association with Contributing Factors among College Students: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Harshitha Kantheti, Jyothirmai Koneru, R Sudhakara Reddy, Anand Beeraboina, Veerakumari Merneedi, Sindhuja YerrapragadaBackground:
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are complex conditions that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding structures. Stress, parafunctional habits, and academic pressure make students more susceptible.
Objective:
To we evaluated the prevalence of TMDs and the role of anxiety, depression, occlusal problems, and parafunctional habits in students.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1222 students aged ≥18 years. The Fonseca Anamnestic Questionnaire (FAQ) was employed to look for TMDs and confirmed with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale assessed the anxiety and depression among them, and associations were analyzed with a binary logistic regression analysis and the Chi-square test, considering
Results:
The RDC/TMD showed a TMD prevalence of 47.6%, which included 30.4% with disc issues and 17.2% with muscle disorders. The FAQ found that 40.3% had mild to moderate symptoms. Anxiety was present in 49.3% of students and depression in 23.0%, but neither was significantly linked to TMDs. However, TMJ clicking, deviation, and deflection did show significant links. We observed a higher prevalence among females and students in pharmacy and dental programs.
Conclusion:
Almost half of the students showed signs of TMDs, which were significantly linked to functional symptoms and the students’ academic fields, but not to mental health factors. We recommend early screening and a team approach to manage these issues.