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Effect of Sleep and Salivary Glucose on Gingivitis in Children

H Alqaderi1, M Tavares1,2, M Hartman2

  • 11 Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.

Journal of Dental Research
|July 30, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Inadequate sleep and high salivary glucose levels are linked to increased gum inflammation (gingivitis) in Kuwaiti children. Poor sleep duration and elevated glucose predict worsening gingivitis over time.

Area of Science:

  • Oral Health
  • Pediatric Health
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Inadequate sleep is known to negatively impact health by suppressing immunity and promoting inflammation.
  • Gingivitis is a common oral health issue, particularly in children, with multifactorial causes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of sleep duration and salivary glucose levels on the development and progression of gingivitis in Kuwaiti children.
  • To analyze the longitudinal relationship between sleep, salivary glucose, and gingival inflammation.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective longitudinal study involving 6,316 10-year-old Kuwaiti children, with data collected in 2012 and 2014.
  • Oral examinations, sleep evaluation interviews, anthropometric measurements, and unstimulated whole saliva collection were performed.
  • Multilevel random intercept and slope analysis was used to assess the relationship between sleep duration, salivary glucose levels (≥1.13 mg/dL defined as high), and gingivitis progression.

Main Results:

  • Gingivitis increased over time in children with shorter sleep durations (P < 0.05).
  • High salivary glucose levels (≥1.13 mg/dL) were predictive of gingivitis (P < 0.05).
  • Children with more decayed or filled teeth exhibited higher rates of gingivitis (P < 0.05); no significant association was found with obesity.

Conclusions:

  • Shorter sleep duration and higher salivary glucose levels are independently associated with increased gingival inflammation in children.
  • These findings highlight the importance of adequate sleep and managing glucose levels for maintaining pediatric oral health.
  • Geographical variations in gingivitis levels were observed among Kuwait's governorates, suggesting potential environmental or socioeconomic influences.

Keywords:
epidemiologyinflammationlifestyleoral-systemic diseasepediatricssalivary physiology

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