Bruxismo e uso problemático do celular em acadêmicos de odontologia

Maria Júlia Martins e Lima, Caroline Mendes Moreira, Talita Antunes Guimarães, Jaqueline Teixeira Teles Gonçalves, Patrícia Luciana Batista Domingos, Camila Santos Pereira, Marcos Vinícius Macedo de Oliveira

Abstract

The objective of this research was to analyze the occurrence of addiction to smartphones and symptoms of bruxism among dental students. This is a cross-sectional and analytical study in which information on bruxism symptoms, problematic use of smartphones (Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short), and sociodemographic factors was collected from 199 university students. Fisher’s exact test and the chi-square test were used to assess possible associations between the variables and the presence of bruxism symptoms, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. It was demonstrated that the vast majority of the students evaluated had symptoms of bruxism (82.4%). Statistical analysis identified that women had a higher prevalence of this symptomological condition than men (p = 0.008). Furthermore, the analysis showed a high occurrence of problematic cell phone use, with 72.3% of the participants who presented symptoms of bruxism reporting the use of this device for more than three hours a day. The study concluded that many university students, especially women, may exhibit signs and symptoms of bruxism. These levels may also be intensified by excessive smartphone use. However, the relationship between problematic smartphone use and bruxism still requires further research for a clear association to be established.