Temporomandibular disorders among medical students in China: prevalence, biological and psychological risk factors

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and their associated biological and psychological factors in Chinese university students. METHODS: A total of 754 students were included from Zunyi Medical University, each participant completed questionnaires and clinical examinations according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of TMD was 31.7% among medical students. Subjects with TMD had a high prevalence of bruxism, empty chewing, unilateral chewing, chewing gum, anterior teeth overbite, anterior teeth overjet, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. Moreover, sleep bruxism, empty chewing, unilateral chewing, anterior teeth overbite, depression, and anxiety were the strongest risk factors for TMD. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with TMD have a high prevalence of psychological distress and oral parafunctional habits. Except for the psychological factors associated with TMD, bruxism, abnormal chewing, and malocclusion also shared similar risks for TMD. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12903-021-01916-2.