Objectives: This study evaluated the prevalence of jaw pain as a local, regional, or widespread pain condition and its association with psychosocial variables in a large representative group of the general population from all regions in Germany.
Methods: In two representative samples consisting of 2524 and 2515 subjects, respectively, the 7-day and 3-month pain prevalences were measured by using the Regional Pain Scale (RPS). Somatic symptom burden (somatization) and pain-related depression were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Somatic Symptom Scale, respectively. Binary logistic regression was chosen to calculate the associations between demographic and psychological clinical predictor variables with jaw pain.
Results: The 7-day jaw pain prevalence was 4.0 % (95 % CI = 3.2-4.8). Of the subjects with jaw pain, only 9 % had local pain (1 pain site), while the remaining 91 % reported regional pain (2-5 pain sites), or widespread pain (6-19 pain sites). The 3-month prevalence of generally present jaw pain was 0.9 % (95 % CI = 0.6-1.0). Regional or widespread pain was present in 82 % of the participants. Jaw pain was predicted by somatic symptom burden (past 7 days, OR = 1.15 [95 % CI = 1.09-1.22]; past 3 months, OR = 1.13 [95 % CI = 1.02-1.25]), but not by depression.
Conclusions: Most individuals with jaw pain have additional pain in other anatomical regions. They might also exhibit a greater risk for pain-associated somatic symptom burden.
Clinical relevance: Assessment of pain distribution in the whole body and the use of a psychometric screening questionnaire for somatic symptom burden are recommended for individuals presenting with jaw pain in a clinical setting.
Keywords: Depression; General population survey; Pain; Self-report; Somatic symptom burden; Temporomandibular disorders.