Prevalence of temporomandibular disorder in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) refer to a collection of pathological conditions that impact the stomatognathic system, often associated with psychiatric comorbidities. Interestingly, previous studies have reported a higher prevalence of TMD in individuals affected by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition commonly linked to stress-induced psychosomatic factors. The aim of this systematic review is to clarify the prevalence of TMD in IBS-diagnosed patients.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases up to May 2024, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Eligibility criteria included studies reporting prevalence data on TMD in IBS patients. Study quality was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies-of Exposure (ROBINS-E) tool.

RESULTS

A total of five studies, involving 3138 patients, were included. TMD prevalence was significantly higher in IBS patients compared to pooled controls. However, no significant differences were observed among IBS subtypes regarding TMD prevalence.

CONCLUSIONS

This review highlights a substantially higher prevalence of TMD in IBS patients compared to the general population, suggesting a shared pathophysiological mechanism likely linked to stress response systems. These findings underscore the need for a multidisciplinary approach to patient management and emphasize the importance of further research to explore the causal links and underlying mechanisms between IBS and TMD.

THE PROSPERO REGISTRATION: The protocol has been registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with the number CRD42024542233.