Teeth clenching can modify the muscle contraction strength of the lower or upper limbs: systematic review

This systematic review aimed to investigate the evidence of the interaction between teeth clenching and stimulation on the muscles of the lower and upper limbs. PubMed, Cochrane library and LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences) databases were used for study selection. Search was carried out during January 2020, including studies published up to the time of search. The research was conducted according to the guidelines outlined in Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis. A total of 17 studies, using 293 healthy volunteers for the tests, met the inclusion criteria for this review. Found evidence to suggest that teeth clenching during activities involving the lower and upper limbs can enhance neuromotor stimulation, through the H-Reflex. Teeth clenching and changes in the response of the neuromotor stimuli seem to be promising points of study to improve the planning of sports training and also contribute to assist understanding and rehabilitation of patients with motor limitations.