Prevalence of Sleep Bruxism in Children, and its Relationship with Signs of Temporomandibular Disorders and Daytime Oral Parafunctions

Héctor Sandoval Ulloa & María Paz Fariña Vélez

Summary

Sleep Bruxism (SB) is the act of grinding and clenching teeth during sleep, which could lead serious consequences in children, such a tooth wear and muscle pain. The objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of SB in children, and to relate the presence of signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and daytime oral parafunctions. The sample consists of 369 students of 6–14 years old. SB diagnosis is based on the inclusion criteria of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, with parent report indicating the history of tooth clenching/grinding, presence of awake oral parafunctions and medical history. The information was complemented by clinical examination of signs of TMD and tooth wear. For statistical analysis chisquare test and Odds Ratio Test was used, with a confidence interval of 95 %. The prevalence of SB was 32 %. Children 6 years old had the highest prevalence (38 %), and children 14 years old had less (27 %). Individuals with SB, 77 % showed signs of TMD (p<0.0001; OR= 5.4) and 87 % had daytime parafunctions (p= 0.0003; OR= 2.9). The prevalence of SB, its distribution by age and sex, corresponds to the international scientific evidence. The SB is a risk factor for TMD, increasing the probabilities that people may suffer muscle or joint aches. Daytime parafunctions are common in patients with SB. The treatment carried out during childhood with an early diagnosis, might be able to prevent damage to the health of an individual as a future adult.

KEY WORDS: prevalence, sleep bruxism, children, temporomandibular joint disorders, parafunctions.

How to cite this article

SANDOVAL, U. H. & FARIÑA, V. M. P. Prevalence of sleep bruxism in children, and its relationship with signs of temporomandibular disorders and oral parafunctions. Int. J. Odontostomat., 10(1):41-47, 2016.