TMJ is a jaw pain disorder that affects the muscles and joints that connect your lower jaw to the skull.
Researchers found that depressive symptoms were more strongly related to TMJ pain than to muscle pain.
TMJ pain may actually be a physical symptom of depression or anxiety, they suggested.
The authors of the study in "The Journal of Pain" said that these mental health conditions could lead to increased activity in the jaw muscles that cause inflammation and pain.
It's also possible that chemical imbalances in patients with anxiety and depression could lead to an abnormal pain sensation.