Oral Parafucntional Habits and Their Association with Personality Trait of Conscientiousness

Background: Personality traits significantly influence various behaviors, including oral parafunctional habits. Conscientiousness, characterized by organization, self-discipline, and goal orientation, is one of the Big Five personality traits. This study examines the relationship between conscientiousness and common oral parafunctional habits such as nail biting, teeth grinding, tooth clenching, biting hard objects, and chewing gum. Objective: To assess the effect of conscientiousness on oral parafunctional habits. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November 2021 at Sharif Medical City. Participants completed the Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) to assess conscientiousness. Ethical approval was obtained prior to the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with significance set at p≤0.05. Results: The scores of conscientiousness varied insignificantly across subgroups: nail biting (p=0.137), teeth grinding (p=0.629), tooth clenching (p=0.348), biting hard objects (p=0.082), and gum chewing (p=0.262). Conscientiousness was most prevalent in participants who engaged in nail biting, teeth grinding, tooth clenching, and gum chewing, and less prevalent in those who denied biting hard objects. Conclusion: The conscientiousness personality trait was most prevalent in individuals who engaged in nail biting, teeth grinding, tooth clenching, and gum chewing. Conversely, it was less common among those who denied biting hard objects.