Secondary school Saudi students participated in a questionnaire about
stomatognathic dysfunction symptoms. The adolescents were interviewed
about general health, peripheral joint disease, chewing function, oral
parafunctions, and symptoms of dysfunction. Thirty-two per cent of pa
rticipants had at least one dysfunction symptom. Pain on opening was t
he most common (35.7%), followed by headache (33.6%), and joint sounds
(32.2%). Symptoms increased with decline in general health, particula
rly the health of peripheral joints. Chewing functions were not impair
ed. Tooth loss did not affect dysfunction symptoms in adolescents, whi
lst a weak relation was evident between oral parafunctions and symptom
s of mandibular dysfunction.