Orofacial pain and oral health-related quality of life in woodwind and cello musicians in German orchestras: an online based questionnaire study.

Background: Occupational factors and the type of instrument played may influence physical and psychological health, affecting oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study assessed the prevalence of orofacial pain, sleep bruxism, stress, and OHRQoL among woodwind musicians (oboe, flute, clarinet, bassoon) in German professional orchestras, compared to cellists.

Methods: A standard online questionnaire was sent to all 129 German professional orchestras. Orofacial pain, stress, and sleep-related issues in the past 30 days were evaluated. The German version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) assessed OHRQoL. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed (statistical significance p < 0.05).

Results: A total of 243 musicians were included. Orofacial pain was reported by 35.8%, sleep bruxism by 63.0%, and stress by 88.9% of the participant. Orofacial pain was significantly associated with female gender (p = 0.027; odds ratio [OR] = 2.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-4.02), frequent sleep bruxism (p = 0.013; OR = 2.65, 95%-CI: 1.23-5.69), frequent stress (p = 0.002; OR = 3.19, 95%-CI: 1.53-6.63), and difficulties initiating sleep after evening shifts (p = 0.003; OR = 2.90, 95%-CI: 1.45-5.80), but not with the instrument played. OHIP-14 scores did not differ significantly between instrument groups (p = 0.629), but correlated with orofacial pain (p < 0.001), sleep bruxism (p < 0.001), stress (p = 0.002), and sleep difficulties (p = 0.040).

Conclusions: Orofacial pain and sleep bruxism are common among professional musicians, with stress-related factors playing a more significant role than the instrument played.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06618898, 27.09.2024.