title: The prevalence of unilateral mastication in a non-patient population: a pilot study.
abstract: One hundred and twenty-seven dental undergraduates participated in a questionnaire survey containing questions relating to their experience with craniofacial pain, jaw function, oral habits and other predisposing factors. The prevalence of chronic habitual unilateral chewers (10%) in the above selected non-patient population was significantly lower than that reported in the patients suffering from craniomandibular disorders (CMD). Lateral masticatory preference was also shown to be significantly associated with symptoms such as "noises from the joints", "difficulty in opening the mouth wide", "an uncomfortable bite", "neckpains", "soreness in the teeth", "painful cheek muscles", "pain in the temples" and/or "tension in the muscles of the face and jaws". The interrelationship between unilateral mastication and CMD is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000503:physiopathology; D008409:Mastication; D009068:Movement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D013016:Sound; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology