Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in people with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To explore the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) and whether there is a correlation between TMD prevalence and MS severity. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, and Lilacs were systematically searched until July 30 2022, to identify studies presenting patients affected by MS and whether there is a correlation between TMD prevalence and MS severity. Results Out of 292 papers, 8 studies were included with 1312 study participants. Among the 8 studies, 5 had a control group; 5 used the RDC/TMD criteria, 1 used the NOT-S instrument, and 2 did not define a standardized method to define TMD symptoms. Meta-analysis revealed that the MS group had a higher rate than the control group, showing an association between MS and TMD (RR 2.10; 95% CI: 1.21-3.65). Conclusion These findings show an association between TMD and MS.