Relationship between Parafunctional Habits and Salivary Biomarkers.

OBJECTIVES

Parafunctional habits, as one of the etiological factors of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), are an individual's response to increased stress. During stress and depression, biomarkers such as cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (SAA) are secreted in the saliva. The present study aimed to investigate whether there is a correlation between salivary stress biomarkers and parafunctional habits.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-two cases, from May to September 2015, were selected based on two standard stress questionnaires, namely the depression anxiety stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Saliva samples were collected to examine the level of unstimulated salivary cortisol and SAA. The significance of the results was assessed via student's t-test and Mann-Whitney test (α=0.05).

RESULTS

The mean concentrations of cortisol and SAA in unstimulated saliva were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (P=0.01 and 0.44, respectively). The mean scores of anxiety, stress, and depression were significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

It seems that the levels of salivary cortisol and SAA, as well as stress, anxiety, and depression scores, are higher in patients with parafunctional habits.