Background & Aims

Sleep bruxism (SB) is conceptualized as a multifactorial disorder, centrally modulated by the autonomic nervous system during sleep. Risk factors, classified as primary (idiopathic) or secondary, play a crucial role in its etiology. Secondary etiology is associated with various neurological conditions (such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, multiple sclerosis), psychosocial factors (anxiety, stress, depression), psychological aspects (neurotransmitters and genetic factors), sleep disorders, and exogenous factor, with the presence of gastroesophageal reflux also highlighted. The coexistence of headache and/or morning facial pain in patients with SB may be attributed to the involuntary repetitive activity of the masticatory muscles, which could serve as triggers and be linked to primary headaches. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of SB in patients diagnosed with primary headaches, aiming to identify potential predilections of SB for specific types of headaches.

Methods

The study utilized data from patients at the Headache and Orofacial Pain Sector of a Tertiary Neurology Center. The medical records included a question regarding self-reported Sleep Bruxism (BS), which was evaluated in conjunction with Polysomnography (PSG). Consultations were conducted, and subsequent chart analyses were performed. Inclusion criteria for sample selection involved patients with a diagnosis of primary headache, established by a neurologist specializing in headaches, who had undergone an overnight PSG, classified as type 1, conducted at the sleep laboratory. To investigate the possible association between the presence of bruxism diagnosed through polysomnography and the occurrence of primary headaches, the chi-square test was employed. Additionally, to compare the mean ages between the groups with and without bruxism, the Student’s t-test was utilized. All analyses were conducted with a significance level of 5%. T

Results

The study involved the analysis of 91 electronic medical records of patients who underwent polysomnography. The sample comprised 26 male and 65 female patients, with ages ranging from 16 to 73 years, with a mean of 41.96 ± 14.45. Among them, 76 reported the presence of headaches. Sleep Bruxism (BS) was spontaneously self-reported by 79 individuals, and in 6 cases, BS was identified by polysomnography despite not being reported initially. Of these, only 42 exhibited Sleep Bruxism during the examination. The most significant prevalence was observed for migraine. When comparing headaches with the presence of bruxism in polysomnography, no significant association was observed between the presence of bruxism and headache types, including migraine, tension-type, or unclassified headaches (p > 0.05). No association was found between patients diagnosed with bruxism through polysomnography and primary headaches when analyzed using the chi-square test.

Conclusions

In this researched group, individuals with sleep bruxism did not exhibit higher percentages of headaches when compared to patients without sleep bruxism. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential association of this parafunctional phenomenon with the occurrence of headaches.

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Presenting Author

Jose Stechman-Neto

Poster Authors

Jose Stechman Neto

Dr.

Tuiuti University of Parana

Lead Author

Aline Xavier Ferraz

DDS

Tuiti University of Parana

Lead Author

Rodolfo J. F. Kubiak

DDS

Tuiuti University of Parana

Lead Author

Reynaldo Todescan Jr

University of Manitoba, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry

Lead Author

Carla Fabiane da Costa Zonta

MD

Instituto de Neurologia de Curitiba

Lead Author

Flavio Magno Gonçalves

DDS

Tuiuti University of Parana

Lead Author

Gloria M N Cortez Ravazzi

Tuiuti University of Parana/TMJ diagnosis and treatment center (CDATM)

Lead Author

Wagner Hummig

Instituto de Neurologia de Curitiba/Tuiuti University of Parana

Lead Author

Bianca S. Zeigelboim

PhD

Tuiuti University of Parana

Lead Author

Topics

  • Specific Pain Conditions/Pain in Specific Populations: Headache