Prevalence of painful temporomandibular disorders in individuals with post-traumatic headache attributed to mild traumatic brain injury

Objectives Studies assessing the presence of painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in post-traumatic headache (PTH) attributed to mild traumatic brain injury are lacking. We aimed to (1) measure the prevalence of painful TMD and assess its association with demographic and trauma-related factors in patients with PTH and (2) compare the headache characteristics and post-concussion burden between the PTH patients with and without painful TMD. Methods This study embedded in a population-based epidemiologic cohort study ( N = 2,832) assessed mild traumatic brain injury patients (18–60 years) 2–4 months after their trauma. PTH patients ( n = 382) were identified and invited to fill out questionnaires assessing post-concussion symptoms and burden, headache characteristics, presence of painful TMD and demographics. Results The prevalence of painful TMD was 22.5%. Living with a partner/spouse (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13–0.75, P = 0.010) and having a secondary education (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.08–0.99, P = 0.048) was significantly associated with decreased risk of having painful TMD. PTH patients with painful TMD reported significantly higher headache intensity ( P