Influence of maternal psychological traits on sleep bruxism in children

Int J Paediatr Dent. 2017 Nov;27(6):469-475. doi: 10.1111/ipd.12285. Epub 2017 Jan 24.

Abstract

Background: Sleep bruxism (SB) is a sleep disorder with high incidence in toddlers and may perpetuate to adulthood. The multifactorial etiology of bruxism includes pathophysiologic and psychological factors.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between depression, stressful events, and the presence of symptoms of anxiety and depression with SB in children of adolescent mothers.

Design: This cross-sectional study nested in a cohort evaluated a sample of 536 mothers and their children aged 24-36 months. Interviews were conducted with mothers. Maternal report of SB was collected. Mother's major depressive disorder was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI Plus); Life Events Scale assessed the stressful events; Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory investigated the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Poisson regression analysis was applied to assess the association of maternal psychological disorders and stressful events with SB on children.

Results: Prevalence of SB was 25.93% (95% CI 22.2-29.7). After adjustments, maternal major depression disorder [PR 1.43 (95% CI 1.06-1.92)] and the presence of stressful events mainly environmental changes [PR 1.47 (95% CI 1.08-2.00)] showed significant association with bruxism in children.

Conclusion: This study showed a positive association between mother's psychological traits and SB development in their toddlers.

MeSH terms

  • Anxiety
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depression
  • Depressive Disorder, Major* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mothers / psychology*
  • Prevalence
  • Sleep Bruxism / etiology*
  • Sleep Bruxism / psychology
  • Stress, Psychological / complications*