Heightened stress due to the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis has caused a surge in people requesting treatment for temporomandibular disorder (TMD),TMD, also known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ disorder), affects the jaw joint and surrounding muscles, causing issues including headaches,jaw pain and clicking, limited chewing function, and limited mouth opening. One cause of TMD is bruxism (teeth-grinding) due to stress, which is affecting increasing numbers of people during the cost-of-living crisis and post-pandemic world. Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol were found in people suffering from TMD.
Botulinum toxin injections can help relax the muscles around the jaw, relieving the debilitating symptoms of TMD, and providing much-needed relief for the sufferer. Authors of The Influence of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on TMJ Disorders, OSAS and BMI found a prevalence of TMD in a cohort of 208 participants from different private dental practices. Another study, The Prevalence and Predicting Factors of Temporomandibular
Disorders in COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study, found a 41.9% prevalence of TMD in Covid-19-positive participants
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