Risk factors associated with symptoms of temporomandibular disorders among women with hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome: Questionnaire‐based study in Finland and Sweden

• Published in: Journal of oral rehabilitation 2024-08, Vol.51 (8), p.1390-1400
• Main Authors: Yekkalam, Negin, Novo, Mehmed, Tyrberg, Mårten J., Sipilä, Kirsi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Comorbidity; Contraceptives; Country of birth; Demography; Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - complications; Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - epidemiology; Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - physiopathology; Ehlers-Danlos syndromes; epidemiology; Female; Finland - epidemiology; gender; generalized joint hypermobility; Humans; hypermobility spectrum disorder; Jaw; Joint Instability - complications; Joint Instability - epidemiology; Joint Instability - physiopathology; Middle Aged; Pain; Prevalence; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Self Report; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sweden - epidemiology; temporomandibular disorders; Temporomandibular joint; Temporomandibular joint disorders; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders - epidemiology; Tinnitus
• ISSN: 0305-182X; 1365-2842; 1365-2842
• DOI: 10.1111/joor.13706

Background Generalized joint hypermobility as a characteristic feature of Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) is among the factors contributing to temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Objective To evaluate the prevalence of TMD symptoms and their risk factors among women born in Sweden or Finland who were 27‐ to 78‐year‐olds with diagnosed hypermobile EDS (hEDS). Methods A cohort of women with confirmed hEDS (n = 185) was constructed from the members of the National EDS Associations in both countries. Based on questionnaire data, frequency of independent variables in terms of socio‐demographic, general health and oral health‐related factors, comorbid symptoms and psychological distress for self‐reported TMD symptoms as the dependent variables, were calculated first. Prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were estimated for the association between independent and dependent variables. Results Nearly all participants reported TMD symptoms (98%) with TMD pain (95%), TMJ clicking (90%) and jaw fatigue (80%) as the most common symptoms and TMJ crepitation (63%) and luxation (44%) as the least common symptoms. Risk factors for TMD among 27‐ to 50‐year‐olds participants were Finland as a country of birth, living alone and self‐reported worst pain in the body (not the joints). The respective risk factors among the 51‐ to 78‐year‐olds were Finland as a country of birth, family history of EDS, tinnitus and regularly taking contraceptives. Conclusions Among adult women with confirmed hEDS, socio‐demographic and health‐related factors and comorbid symptoms were significantly associated with TMD but with differences regarding age group. Therefore, management of TMD requires a multidisciplinary approach among the affected. Significant adjusted prevalence ratio and the 95% confidence interval of the associations between socio‐demographic and general health‐related factors with self‐reported TMD symptoms among women with confirmed hEDS/HSD; A) 27‐ to 50‐year‐olds (n = 105) and B) 51‐ to 78‐year‐olds (n = 77).