Stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to affect dental patients, with more than 70 percent of dentists surveyed by the American Dental Association reporting an increase in teeth grinding and clenching among patients.
Results of the survey are up from the fall when about 60 percent of dentists noted an increase in stress-related conditions among patients, according to the ADA.
Furthermore, over 60 percent of dentists saw an increase in other stress-related conditions, including chipped and cracked teeth and temporomandibular joint disorder symptoms such as headaches and jaw pain.
"Our polling has served as a barometer for pandemic stress affecting patients and communities seen through the eyes of dentists," Marko Vujicic, PhD, chief economist and vice president of the ADA Health Policy Institute, said in a March 2 news release. "The increase over time suggests stress-related conditions have become substantially more prevalent since the onset of COVID-19."