Awake bruxism frequency and psychosocial factors in college preparatory students

ABSTRACT

Objective

To assess the frequency of reported masticatory muscles activity during wakefulness (i.e., awake bruxism [AB]), levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in college preparatory students.

Methods

Sixty-nine college preparatory students participated in the study. AB was evaluated by the Oral Behaviors Checklist (OBC) and a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA; [Bruxapp®]). Anxiety and depression were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, stress was evaluated by the Perceived Stress Scale, and OHRQoL was obtained by The Oral Health Impact Profile-14. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient (α = 0.05).

Results

The average EMA-reported frequency of AB behaviors was 38.4%. Significant correlations were found between AB and the OBC, anxiety, depression, stress, and OHRQoL (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

College preparatory students demonstrated moderate frequency of AB, which was significantly correlated with psychosocial factors.

KEYWORDS:

• Bruxism
• Bruxapp
• youth
• quality of life
• anxiety
• stress

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) - Brazil under Grant [2017/23429-3]; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES), Finance Code 001.