The assessment of oral health, jaw health and related problems in bipolar patients is important to provide a holistic approach to patients in terms of physical, mental and psychosocial aspects and to improve quality of life. In this study, oral health, temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) and oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) were investigated in patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD).

During the remission period, 70 individuals aged 20-60 years with BD were divided into two groups according to the duration of diagnosis as under ten years (Group 1=33) and over ten years (Group 2=37). Oral and dental health-related quality of life was assessed with the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), TMJ pain was assessed with the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS), the presence of TMJ discomfort was assessed with the Fonseca Anamnestic Questionnaire (FAQ), chewing functionality was assessed with the Jaw Function Limitation Scale-8 (JFLS-8), and oropharyngeal dysphagia was assessed with the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients between 20 and 60 years of age who volunteered to participate in the study and signed the informed consent form,
• diagnosed with BD at the outpatient department of Bakırkoy Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital,
• in remission for at least 3 months,
• had a history of regular lithium use for at least 1 year in any phase of the disease were included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• being in a manic or depressive episode (Young Mania Rating Scale score greater than 7, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score greater than 7)
• history of comorbid psychiatric illness,
• alcohol and substance use disorder,
• cancer, neurological problems, congenital anomalies, musculoskeletal problems, systemic illness,
• facial paralysis,
• spinal, abdominal and/or TMJ surgery,
• and having received any spinal or TMJ treatment in less than 6 months.

Patients with bipolar disorder in remission