Jornal Médico – Temporomandibular disorders associated with stress, anxiety and traumatic events
Jornal Médico – Temporomandibular disorders associated with stress, anxiety and traumatic events
Maxillary disorders associated with stress, anxiety, and traumatic events
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are associated with multifactorial causes, some of which are factors such as stress, anxiety, and past traumatic events. Currently, TMJ disorders are the most common cause of oral and facial pain of non-dental origin, resulting in pain and disability.
On the 2nd of November, Stress Awareness Day whose main objective is to promote the importance of well-being to the individual, emphasizing the importance of developing strategies to combat stress. It affects about 34% of the Portuguese population, most patients are female, and age can also influence the prevalence of the disease. I emphasize that fatigue is increasingly associated with TMD as increasingly severe cases are identified in younger patients.
But why can tension be associated with temporomandibular joint problems?
One answer for certain is gnashing of teeth, which acts as a defense mechanism. In this case, the facial muscles contract and tense. However, this frequent contraction of the teeth contributes to the deterioration of the joint structures, due to the phenomenon of joint overload, which leads to an increased risk of problems with the temporomandibular joint. There are many scientific studies that establish the strong relationship between temporomandibular disorders and stress and anxiety. For example, after confinement, there was an increased demand for consultations in this specialty, and it is very likely that the stress and uncertainty caused by the epidemic contributed to the exacerbation of patients’ symptoms.
Jornal Médico – Temporomandibular disorders associated with stress, anxiety and traumatic events
The main signs and symptoms of this dysfunction are pain, limited mouth opening and movement, clicking or other sounds when there is movement of the mouth (mastication, for example), tension of the facial and neck muscles, headache, and headache. Facial muscle strain. However, other diseases associated with it may also appear, such as migraine or headache.
The effects of stress in the temporomandibular joint are indirect, but real, as it is mainly related to the contraction of the teeth and contraction of the muscles of the face and neck. Recognizing these symptoms at an early stage is essential to not worsen the disease.
