Bruxism, Pelvic Pain, Erectile Dysfunction, and Anxiety in Young Adult Men

March 10, 2026 updated by: Alime Buyuk, Akdeniz University

Bruxism and Pelvic Pain, Erectile Dysfunction, and Anxiety in Young Men: A Cross-Sectional Study

Bruxism is a parafunctional activity characterized by clenching or grinding of the teeth during wakefulness or sleep. Increasing evidence suggests that bruxism is not only related to orofacial structures but may also be associated with broader musculoskeletal and psychosocial conditions. Emerging literature indicates that central sensitization, stress, and anxiety may contribute to both bruxism and chronic pain conditions. However, the potential relationship between bruxism and pelvic health outcomes has not been sufficiently investigated.

Pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction, are multifactorial conditions that may involve neuromuscular, psychological, and autonomic mechanisms. Considering the shared mechanisms related to muscle hyperactivity, stress responses, and central pain modulation, bruxism may be associated with pelvic pain symptoms and sexual dysfunction in men. Additionally, anxiety is recognized as a common contributing factor in both bruxism and pelvic floor dysfunction.

The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the association between bruxism, pelvic pain, erectile dysfunction, and anxiety levels in young adult men. Participants will be assessed using validated self-report questionnaires to evaluate bruxism symptoms, pelvic pain complaints, erectile function, and anxiety levels. Understanding the potential relationship between these variables may contribute to a more comprehensive biopsychosocial understanding of male pelvic health and may help guide future multidisciplinary assessment and management strategies.

Study Overview

Status

Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Bruxism has been linked with stress, anxiety, autonomic nervous system dysregulation, and central sensitization processes. These mechanisms may also play a role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain conditions beyond the orofacial region.

Pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction in men, including erectile dysfunction, are complex conditions with multifactorial etiologies involving musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, and psychosocial factors. Increasing evidence suggests that pelvic floor muscle overactivity, stress-related autonomic responses, and psychological distress may contribute to pelvic pain syndromes and sexual dysfunction. Anxiety, in particular, has been identified as an important factor influencing both pelvic floor muscle tension and erectile function.

Given that bruxism is associated with muscle hyperactivity, stress responses, and psychological factors, it is plausible that individuals with bruxism may also experience symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction. However, the potential relationship between bruxism and male pelvic health outcomes, such as pelvic pain and erectile dysfunction, has not been sufficiently investigated in the literature. Understanding whether bruxism is associated with pelvic symptoms may provide insight into shared neuromuscular or biopsychosocial mechanisms.

The primary aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the association between bruxism and pelvic pain in young adult men. Secondary aims include examining the relationship between bruxism and erectile dysfunction as well as anxiety levels. Participants will be young adult men recruited from the general population. Bruxism status will be assessed using validated self-report measures consistent with current international consensus definitions of probable bruxism. Pelvic pain symptoms, erectile function, and anxiety levels will be evaluated using validated questionnaires.

Statistical analyses will be conducted to examine the relationships between bruxism and pelvic pain, erectile dysfunction, and anxiety. Correlation and group comparison analyses will be used to explore potential associations between these variables. The findings of this study may contribute to a broader understanding of the relationship between orofacial parafunctional activities and pelvic health outcomes. Identifying potential links between bruxism and pelvic floor-related symptoms may help support a multidisciplinary perspective in the assessment and management of men presenting with pelvic pain or sexual dysfunction.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Male individuals aged 18-30 years

Voluntary agreement to participate in the study and approval of the online informed consent form

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Male participants aged 18-30 years

Ability to understand and complete the questionnaires

Voluntary participation and provision of informed consent

For the bruxism group: self-reported symptoms of teeth clenching or grinding during sleep or wakefulness within the past 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

History of neurological disorders affecting motor function

Diagnosed psychiatric disorders requiring active treatment

Current use of medications that may affect sexual function

History of pelvic surgery

Known urological diseases affecting erectile function

Chronic systemic diseases that may influence pain perception

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Non-bruksizm Group
Control group
Diagnostic test: Questionnaire and Physical Exam
20 mins questionnaire survey
Bruxism Group
Men who diagnosed bruksizm
Diagnostic test: Questionnaire and Physical Exam
20 mins questionnaire survey

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Bruxism Assessment
Time Frame: 6 months

Bruxism will be assessed using self-report questions addressing both awake bruxism and sleep bruxism behaviors. Participants will report the presence and frequency of teeth clenching or grinding during wakefulness or sleep within the past six months.

Pain related to bruxism will be evaluated using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where:

0 represents no pain

10 represents the worst imaginable pain

Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity associated with bruxism.
6 months
Jaw Function Assessment
Time Frame: 6 months

Jaw functional limitations will be assessed using the Jaw Functional Limitation Scale-20 (JFLS-20). This instrument evaluates functional limitations in three domains:

Mastication

Jaw mobility

Verbal and emotional expression

Each item is scored on a 0-10 numeric rating scale, where:

0 indicates no limitation

10 indicates severe limitation

The total score is calculated as the mean of the items within each domain or across all items. Higher scores indicate greater functional limitation.
6 months
Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Symptoms
Time Frame: 6 months

Pelvic pain symptoms will be assessed using the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI).

The NIH-CPSI includes 9 items across three domains:

Pain (0-21)

Urinary symptoms (0-10)

Quality of life impact (0-12)

The total score ranges from 0 to 43, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms related to chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

The validated Turkish version of the NIH-CPSI will be used (Coşkun et al., 2021).
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Impact of Pelvic Pain on Daily Life
Time Frame: 6 months

The impact of pelvic pain on daily functioning and quality of life will be assessed using the Male Pelvic Pain Impact Questionnaire. This questionnaire evaluates how pelvic pain affects daily activities, social participation, and emotional well-being.

Higher scores indicate greater negative impact of pelvic pain on daily life.
6 months
Sexual Function Assessment
Time Frame: 6 months

Sexual function will be assessed using questions derived from the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) focusing on erectile function during the previous four weeks.

The erectile function domain score ranges from 1 to 30, with interpretation as follows:

26-30: normal erectile function

22-25: mild erectile dysfunction

17-21: mild to moderate erectile dysfunction

11-16: moderate erectile dysfunction

≤10: severe erectile dysfunction

Higher scores indicate better erectile function.
6 months
Anxiety Assessment
Time Frame: 6 months

Anxiety will be evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), which includes two subscales:

STAI-State (STAI-S): measures current anxiety level STAI-Trait (STAI-T): measures general anxiety tendency

Each subscale consists of 20 items, scored on a 4-point Likert scale.

Possible scores range from 20 to 80, where:

20-37: low anxiety

38-44: moderate anxiety

45-80: high anxiety

Higher scores indicate higher levels of anxiety.
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Akdeniz University

Collaborators

Necmettin Erbakan University
Bilecik Seyh Edebali Universitesi

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

April 16, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 16, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 10, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 10, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 10, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 28685

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

might not be shared.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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