Association between sleep bruxism and stress symptoms in adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

To synthesise and critically review the association between sleep bruxism (SB) and stress symptoms in adults. A systematic review was performed. The search was completed using seven primary electronic databases in addition to a grey literature search. Two reviewers blindly selected studies based on pre‐defined eligibility criteria. Risk of bias of the included articles was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross‐Sectional Studies. RevMan 5.4 was used to perform the meta‐analysis. The quality of evidence was evaluated according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Ten studies were included for qualitative analysis, of which three were included for quantitative analysis. Three studies were evaluated to have low risk of bias, and seven were assessed with moderate risk of bias. Quality of evidence was classified as very low for all outcomes. Individuals with SB were found to have higher levels of some self‐reported stress symptoms as assessed through questionnaires with a mean difference of 4.59 (95% CI 0.26‐8.92). Biomarkers like epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, adrenaline, dopamine, noradrenaline and prolidase enzyme levels also showed a positive association with SB. Although some associations were identified between probable SB and self‐reported stress symptoms and biomarkers of stress in adults, given that the quality of evidence was found to be very low, caution should be exercised in interpreting these results. These findings suggest that additional and better designed studies are warranted in order to clarify the link between SB and stress.

Tooth wear and socioeconomic status in childhood and adulthood: Findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

“…There is some evidence that bruxism is associated with mental health disorders and neuroticism such as stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and depression, which in turn are associated with low SES in adults and a high-acidic diet [112][113][114][115][116]. Furthermore, these factors have a cumulative effect during the life course of an individual, increasing tooth wear progression with age, especially in those of lower SES.…”

Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Oromandibular Dystonia and Other Movement Disorders in the Stomatognathic System

“…Although the etiology of bruxism has not yet been fully elucidated, a multifactorial etiology was postulated, including biological; psychological (anxiety and stress); and exogenous (consumption of some drugs, caffeine, tobacco, and/or alcohol) causes [117][118][119]. Bruxism has been recognized to be related to tooth wear or destruction; failure of dental prostheses or implants; pain in the teeth, masticatory muscles, or temporomandibular joints; temporomandibular disorders; masseter muscle hypertrophy; or tension headache [117,118].…”

The Evaluation of the Relationship Between Oral Habits Prevalence and COVID-19 Pandemic in Adults and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

“…Bruxism is a destructive oral habit that is defined as the non-productive diurnal or nocturnal clenching or grinding of the teeth which can also lead to TMD ( 21 ). There are many scientific reports about the coexistence of bruxism, stress, and psychoemotional disorders ( 22 , 23 ). In the last 2 years, we have faced a COVID-19 pandemic that has brought a lot of psychological stress to human beings, and in addition to the physical consequences, we must pay attention to the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.…”