Evaluation of the relationship between sleep bruxism and sleeping habits in school-aged children

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between sleep habits and sleep bruxism (SB) in schoolaged children. Methods: Survey data were collected from the parents of 500 children (267 males and 233 females; age range 6–12 years). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine diagnostic criteria were used to evaluate SB. A Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire was conducted to determine sleep habits. The chi-square test was used for statistical evaluation. Results: SB was observed in 160 children (32%). SB awareness was 5.4%. The presence of SB in other family members, mothers’ education ≤8 years, and income below minimum wage were found as family risk factors. The presence of sleep disorders was 61.4% and observed to be statistically higher in those with SB. Conclusion: SB is a prevalent disorder that might be associated with sleep disorders. The parents of children with SB had inadequate knowledge and awareness pertaining to SB.