Frequency of Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction Syndrome in Dental Students and its Association with Stress

Original Article

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Temporomandibular Pain Dysfunction Syndrome among dental students and assess its association with perceived stress, while evaluating differences according to age and gender.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, over 3 months. We recruited 196 dental students from all academic years using non-probability convenience sampling. We collected data through a validated, self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic details, the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), and clinical examination findings. We categorized stress severity as low, moderate, or high. TMPDS diagnosis required positive responses to >50% of self-assessment items plus at least two clinical signs. We performed statistical analyses in IBM SPSS Version 26 using chi-square tests, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant.

Results: Among 196 participants, 29 (14.8%) had TMPDS, with higher prevalence in females (85.2%) and students aged 21–24 years. TMPDS was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.015), age group (p = 0.002), and stress level (p = 0.031). Stress distribution was 44.9% low, 43.9% moderate, and 11.2% high, with TMPDS prevalence highest in the moderate stress group.

Conclusion: TMPDS is prevalent among dental students and significantly associated with stress, gender, and age. Early screening and stress management interventions may help reduce TMPDS risk in this population.