Community based study of sleep bruxism during early childhood

• Published in: Sleep medicine 2013-02, Vol.14 (2), p.183-188
• Main Authors: Insana, Salvatore P, Gozal, David, McNeil, Daniel W, Montgomery-Downs, Hawley E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Child; Child Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Child Behavior Disorders - epidemiology; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentistry; Early Intervention (Education); Female; Health; Health Surveys; Humans; Kentucky; Male; Neurocognitive; Neurology; Neuropsychological Tests; Parasomnia; Pediatrics; Personality Assessment; Poverty Areas; Sleep Bruxism - diagnosis; Sleep Bruxism - epidemiology; Sleep Medicine; Statistics as Topic
• ISSN: 1389-9457; 1878-5506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2012.09.027

Abstract Objectives The aims for this study were to determine the prevalence of sleep-bruxism among young children, explore child behavior problems that may be associated with sleep-bruxism, and identify relations among sleep-bruxism, health problems, and neurocognitive performance. Methods The current study was a retrospective analysis of parent report surveys, and behavioral and neurocognitive assessments. Parents of 1953 preschool and 2888 first grade children indicated their child’s frequency of bruxism during sleep. A subsample of preschool children ( n = 249) had additional behavioral, as well as neurocognitive assessments. Among the subsample, parents also reported on their child’s health, and completed the Child Behavioral Checklist; children were administered the Differential Ability Scales, and Pre-Reading Abilities subtests of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment. Results 36.8% of preschoolers and 49.6% of first graders were reported to brux ⩾1 time per week. Among the preschool subsample, bruxing was independently associated with increased internalizing behaviors ( β = .17). Bruxism was also associated with increased health problems ( β = .19), and increased health problems were associated with decreased neurocognitive performance ( β = .22). Conclusions The prevalence of sleep-bruxism was high. A dynamic and potentially clinically relevant relation exists among sleep-bruxism, internalizing behaviors, health, and neurocognition. Pediatric sleep-bruxism may serve as a sentinel marker for possible adverse health conditions, and signal a need for early intervention. These results support the need for an interdisciplinary approach to pediatric sleep medicine, dentistry, and psychology.