Good quality epidemiological studies of oro-facial pain needed

Abstract

Data sources MEDLINE, Embase, Cinahl, Scientific Citation Index and Health CD databases. Reference lists of relevant and the journals Pain and “Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology” were handsearched.

Study selection Observational studies (cross-sectional surveys, cohorts case-control studies) and previous literature reviews of adult populations over 18 year of age were included. Oro-facial pain (OFP) was defined as pain located in the face, dental pain was excluded.

Data extraction and synthesis A standardised checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of each study by two reviewers before an attempt was made to summarise the results. The median quality score was 70% of the maximum attainable score. Due to methodological issues, it was not possible to pool the data on the prevalence of OFP.

Results 59 studies were evaluated. Age, gender and psychological factors were found to be associated with OFP, however there was not enough information on other factors such as local mechanical and co-morbidities to draw any reliable conclusions. None of the factors fully fulfilled criteria for causality (Table 1).

Conclusions There is a need for good quality epidemiological studies of adequate sample size of OFP in the general population. To enable comprehensive examination of the aetiology of OFP, it is necessary to address a broad range of factors, eg demography and life-style, local mechanical factors, medical history and psychological factors. Data on potential confounders and effect modifiers should also be collected and adjusted for in the statistical analysis.

Log in or create a free account to read this content

Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com

Access through your institution

or

Sign in or create an account

Continue with Google

Continue with ORCiD