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Manfredini D, Landi N et al. J Oral Rehabil 2005; 32: 584–588

There appears to be some confusion in studies of the relationship of anxiety to bruxism, and the aim of the present study was to investigate any possible association. Subjects in an Italian prosthetic dentistry clinic who did not have temporomandibular disorders were investigated for bruxism and the presence of anxiety psychopathology symptoms.

In a sample of 98 subjects, 34 bruxers were compared with 64 non-bruxers, using a self-report questionnaire for panic-agorophobic spectrum. This questionnaire has 114 items in 7 domains: separation anxiety, panic symptoms, stress sensitivity, substance sensitivity, anxious expectation, agoraphobia, hypochondria, and reassurance sensitivity. There were no significant differences between groups in respect of anxiety psychopathology (overall scores 35+). However, the basic scores and domain scores showed differences: panic symptoms, stress sensitivity and reassurance sensitivity were significantly commoner in bruxists. The authors note that the associations they have found are not evidence of causation.