Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Observational Study
. 2020 Feb;48(2):300060519889487.
doi: 10.1177/0300060519889487.

Manifestation of stress and anxiety in the stomatognathic system of undergraduate dentistry students

Joanna Elżbieta Owczarek  1 , Katarzyna Małgorzata Lion  2 , Małgorzata Radwan-Oczko  1
Affiliations
Observational Study

Manifestation of stress and anxiety in the stomatognathic system of undergraduate dentistry students

Joanna Elżbieta Owczarek et al. J Int Med Res. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationship between psychoemotional state and signs of oral cavity occlusal and nonocclusal parafunctions, together with masseter muscle tone, in undergraduate dentistry students.

Methods: The study population comprised first and fifth grade dentistry students who were investigated using psychological and health questionnaires, and stomatological examination with electromyography of the masseter muscles. Differences in variables between first and fifth grade students were analysed using Student’s t-test or χ2-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyse associations between variables.

Results: A total of 113 students (52 first-grade, mean age 20 years; and 61 fifth-grade, mean age 23.6 years) were included. Older age was associated with lower level of perceived stress and anxiety. Moreover, a significant positive relationship was observed between level of perceived stress and anxiety and tone of both masseter muscles.

Conclusions: Increased psychoemotional burden and increased rates of experienced anxiety were associated with growth of masseter muscle tone in this study population.

Keywords: Stress; anxiety; dental students; electromyography; masseter muscle; temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Lazarus RS, Folkman S. Stress, appraisal and coping. 1st ed New York: Springer, 1984.
    1. Spielberger CD. Theory and research on anxiety In: CD Spielberger. (ed.) Anxiety and behavior. 1st ed New York: Academic Press, 1966, pp.3–19.
    1. Cooper CL, Watts J, Kelly M. Job satisfaction, mental health, and job stressors among general dental practitioners in the UK. Br Dent J 1987; 162: 77–81. - PubMed
    1. Kleinrok M. Functional disorders of the masticatory system. 5th ed Lublin: Czelej, 2012. [In Polish].
    1. Frączak B, Ey-Chmielewska H, Zarek A. Impact of psycho-sociological and psychoemotional factors on the possibility of generating temporomandibular joint dysfunction in dentistry student surveys. Dent Forum 2008; 36: 27–31 [In Polish].

Publication types