This study aimed to examine the frequency of temporomandibular disorder among biomedical students and relate its occurrence to lifestyle habits. A cross-sectional collection of data was carried out and included a total of 676 examinees through a questionnaire that had 73 questions: general information and lifestyle habits, the Fonseca Anamnestic index (FAI), the Jaw Function Limitation Scale (JFLS), and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ). The statistical analyses between three or more groups were conducted using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Scheffé test or Kruskal-Wallis test with post hoc Dunn's test for quantitative variables. The comparison of qualitative variables was conducted using the Chi-square test, while the correlations were determined using Spearman's correlation test. The analysis showed that a higher frequency of moderate or severe TMD was observed in subjects who were smokers (p < 0.001) compared to non-smokers. Subjects who consumed more coffee had moderate to severe TMD compared to subjects who consumed a lesser amount (p < 0.001). Furthermore, a positive correlation between the amount of stress and the severity of TMD was found. Our study implies that students of biomedical studies have an increased risk for TMD and that there is a link with their lifestyle habits.
Keywords: Fonseca anamnestic index; biomedicine students; jaw functional limitation scale; lifestyle habits; perceived stress questionnaire; temporomandibular disorder.