The occurrence of symptoms of bruxism in sports climbers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic include the emergence or intensification of negative emotional states, such as anxiety disorders or depression. The deterioration of the emotional state in human population can be explained by the severe increase in the level of psychological stress related to the pandemic. In turn, mental stress can lead to the appearance or exacerbation of psychosomatic symptoms. Mental stress is one of the risk factors for bruxism. Due to the current pandemic situation, there is an increase in the frequency of bruxism symptoms in the population. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of bruxism symptoms in sports climbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods. The study consisted of two stages - the first one was carried out in August 2019 and the second one was repeated in May 2020, three months after the national quarantine in Poland had been announced . 67 people in the control group and 67 in the studied group were qualified for the study. The occurrence of awake and sleep bruxism was determined using a questionnaire. Results. The collective analysis showed that the studied group had a lower percentage of respondents with awake bruxism compared to the control group - the results reached the required threshold of statistical significance. The prevalence of sleep bruxism between the groups was similar - the differences did not reach the assumed significance threshold. Conclusions. The level of bruxism symptoms among climbers was significantly lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than before it. The obtained results and possible adaptation mechanisms in climbers require further analysis.