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. 2016 Dec 21;9(1):514.
doi: 10.1186/s13104-016-2311-0.

Perceived stress and bruxism in university students

Pierpaolo Cavallo  1 , Luna Carpinelli  2 , Giulia Savarese  3
Affiliations

Perceived stress and bruxism in university students

Pierpaolo Cavallo et al. BMC Res Notes. .

Abstract

Background: Many studies have shown the correlation between bruxism and stress that affects the quality of life of university students. The present study highlights this correlation-for the first time-in a group of university students in Italy.

Methods: We have investigated the prevalence of awake and asleep bruxism and its correlation with perceived stress in a group of 278 Italian undergraduate students (117 M). A self report questionnaire was constructed using a socio-demographic test, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the item n. 8 of the Fonseca Questionnaire for presence of bruxism.

Results: The perceived stress score using PSS-10 scale was 32.2 (SD 4.6, 95% CL 31.6-32.7) for all the subjects, with significant gender difference: M = 31.2 and F = 32.9 (P = 0.0019). The prevalence for awake bruxism was 37.9% (F = 40.8%; M = 34.2%,), while for sleep bruxism was 31.8% (F = 33.3%; M = 29.1%), both without significant gender difference. A positive correlation, with significant concordance and dependence, between stress score and awake bruxism was present for male students only.

Conclusions: University students showed higher bruxism and stress levels compared to the general population, with higher stress for females, but, even if female students show higher stress, a correlation between stress and bruxism exists only for male gender. Further studies should be performed.

Keywords: Bruxism; PSS-10; Perceived stress; Student health; University.

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