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Bruxism is strongly associated with elevated anxiety, maladaptive coping patterns, and slower cognitive inhibition, underscoring its role as a complex biopsychosocial disorder.
A recent observational study reveals a striking link between bruxism—commonly known as teeth grinding—and elevated anxiety levels, slower cognitive inhibition, and maladaptive coping strategies among health sciences students.
Bruxism is increasingly recognized as a multifactorial biopsychosocial condition driven by the interaction of muscular activity, psychological stress, anxiety, and impaired coping mechanisms. Emerging research continues to reveal that emotional regulation, cognitive control, and stress-processing behaviors play a central role in shaping both the onset and severity of bruxism in young adults. Against this backdrop, the study aimed to investigate how anxiety levels, coping strategies, and executive function performance were associated with bruxism.
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study involving 111 health sciences students with a mean age of 22.29 years. Participants underwent standardized clinical assessments following the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD) protocol to identify bruxism and associated musculoskeletal symptoms. Each student also completed validated psychological assessments: the generalized anxiety disorder scale 7-item (GAD-7) to measure anxiety, the COPE inventory to evaluate coping strategies, and a 105-item Stroop test to assess executive function, cognitive inhibition, and selective attention.
The analysis revealed that 63.96% of students (71 out of 111) exhibited bruxism. Students with bruxism scored subtantially more on the GAD-7 scale, with clinically relevant anxiety nearly 3 times more common than in non-bruxism peers. Bruxism participants showed slower stroop interference times, suggesting reduced inhibitory control speed, although task accuracy remained comparable (Table 1).
COPE inventory analysis indicated a shift toward emotion-focused and avoidance coping as muscle pain increased, highlighting maladaptive responses linked to bruxism. The study underscores bruxism as more than a dental issue—it is closely tied to psychological stress and coping mechanisms.
Researchers advocate incorporating routine psychological screenings, like GAD-7 and COPE, into dental and medical settings. Early recognition of at-risk individuals can facilitate timely referral and holistic care combining dental care with psychological interventions, potentially preventing chronic pain and long-term issues.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Bruxism as a Biopsychosocial Disorder: An Interdisciplinary Cross-Sectional Study
Karolina Walczyńska-Dragon et al.
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