Temporomandibular disorder pain in older adolescents-young adults: Interrelationship with somatic burden, mental ill-being, and well-being

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives The associations of Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain with somatic symptoms, mental ill-being/distress, and well-being were explored, along with the mental correlates of TMD (TS) and somatic symptom (SS) burden in older adolescents-young adults. Methods TMD/somatic symptoms were appraised with the five quintessential symptoms (5Ts) of the DC/TMD/Somatic Symptom Scale-8, whereas mental distress/well-being was assessed with the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales-21/Scales of Psychological Well-being-18. Data were examined using Chi-square/non-parametric tests and multivariate analyses (α = .05). Results Among the 366 participants, 51.4%, 28.1%, 6.8%, and 13.7% had no TMD (NT), TMD pain (TP), TMD dysfunction (TD), and combined TMD (CT) respectively. Though mental distress varied substantially (CT, TP>NT, TD), no significant differences in well-being were discerned. SS burden, but not TS burden, was moderately correlated to distress. Conclusions The prospect of TMD pain was increased by being female, depressed, and anxious but reduced by “positive relations with others” and “self-acceptance”.