Google searches for bruxism, teeth grinding, and teeth clenching during the COVID-19 pandemic


Kardes E., Kardes S.

JOURNAL OF OROFACIAL ORTHOPEDICS-FORTSCHRITTE DER KIEFERORTHOPADIE, cilt.83, sa.6, ss.1-6, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 83 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2022
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s00056-021-00315-0
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF OROFACIAL ORTHOPEDICS-FORTSCHRITTE DER KIEFERORTHOPADIE
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-6
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Dentistry, Dentists, Google Trends, Internet search engines, Psychological distress
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Purpose Whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has an impact on bruxism represents an important gap of knowledge. This study evaluated the trends in Google searches, as an indication of public interest and demand, for bruxism and its symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Google Trends was queried for bruxism, teeth grinding, and teeth clenching both worldwide and in the United States. Two periods in 2020 (March 15-May 9 and May 10-October 17) were compared to similar periods of 2016-2019 to investigate both initial and short-term interest. Results The relative search volume of bruxism, teeth grinding, and teeth clenching was not significantly different between 2020 and 2016-2019 worldwide or in the United States in the March 15-May 9 period. Only the search for teeth grinding showed an increase worldwide. In the May 10-October 17 period, the relative search volume of bruxism, teeth grinding, and teeth clenching all was significantly higher in 2020 compared to 2016-2019 both worldwide and in the United States. Conclusion The study showed that the relative search volume for bruxism, teeth grinding, and teeth clenching, as an indication of public interest and demand, was increased both worldwide and in the United States during the May-October 2020 period compared to similar periods of the previous 4 years. Dentists should address this increased public interest and demand for information seeking for bruxism. Follow-up studies monitoring long-term interest as a real-time surveillance and evaluating whether increased internet searches are linked to an actual increase or worsening of bruxism and its symptoms in the clinic are required.