The impact of self-reported temporomandibular pain on neck disability in office workers

Background Neck pain (NP) and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain often coexist, particularly among office workers, but their interaction and impact on neck disability remain insufficiently explored. Objectives To investigate the prevalence of self-reported TMD pain in office workers with NP and assess its impact on neck disability. Methods This cross-sectional survey collected data through an online questionnaire from 662 office workers (66.3% female; mean age: 35.4 ± 8.9 years) with NP. Participants were categorized into two groups: isolated NP (NP group) and coexisting NP and temporomandibular disorder pain (NP + TMD pain group). TMD diagnosis was based on the Pain Screener. Neck pain and disability were assessed using the Bournemouth Neck Questionnaire (BNQ) and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Parafunctional behaviors were evaluated using the Oral Behaviors Checklist (OBC). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results The NP + TMD pain group had significantly higher BNQ and NDI scores than the NP group (p < 0.001), indicating more severe pain and disability. Additionally, 69.1% of the NP + TMD pain group reported awake bruxism compared to 37.7% in the NP group (p < 0.001). Joint noises (80.5% vs. 6.9%) and jaw locking (30.1% vs. 1.9%) were also more frequent in the NP + TMD pain group (p < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that high OBC scores, joint noises, and closed jaw locking were strong predictors of NP + TMD pain. Conclusion The findings reveal significant correlations between NP and TMD pain, but the cross-sectional design limits conclusions about causation. Further longitudinal or interventional studies are needed to explore whether TMD pain contributes to NP, vice versa, or if both share common underlying mechanisms. Clinical Trials Number: NCT04900870.