Anxiety, mental suffering, and bruxism in dental students in the COVID-19 postpandemic moment.

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating, causing deaths, economic and social problems, and mental disorders in the lives of many people. After 3 years, the mental repercussions caused by the pandemic are unclear, especially in young adults. This study assessed the occurrence of mental disorders, anxiety, and bruxism in dental students during the postpandemic moment and determined the factors that influenced the occurrence of bruxism.

Methods: The cross-sectional study enrolled 126 dental students. Sociodemographic information, COVID-19 experience, and remote teaching/learning were collected using questionnaires. Mental state and disorders were collected using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) of mental disorders. Bruxism was self-reported. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression (α = 0.05).

Results: Moderate anxiety manifested in 62.7% of the students. Common mental disorders and bruxism were identified in 35.7% and 59.5% of the students. The odds ratio for bruxism self-report was 6.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.49-16.66) times higher for those who suffered economic impact during the pandemic and 2.39 (95% CI 1.04-5.47) times higher for those reporting anxiety during the pandemic. Bad sleep was also associated with the occurrence of bruxism.

Conclusion: In the postpandemic period, dental students exhibited high rates of common mental disorders, anxiety, and bruxism. The increased occurrence of bruxism was linked to the economic impacts experienced during the pandemic, self-perceived anxiety during the pandemic, and poor sleep.