Correlation between Sleep Bruxism, Stress, and Depression-A Polysomnographic Study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Sleep Medicine
• Psychology

Background:

• Sleep bruxism affects about 13% of adults and may stem from biological, psychological, or exogenous factors.
• Existing research suggests a link between bruxism, stress, and psychoemotional disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between sleep bruxism and perceived stress and depressive symptoms.

Main Methods:

• 77 patients diagnosed with probable sleep bruxism underwent video-polysomnography.
• Perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10).
• Depressive symptoms were assessed with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI).

Main Results:

• No statistically significant correlation was found between the Bruxism Episodes Index (BEI) and PSS-10 scores (p = 0.64).
• No statistically significant correlation was found between the BEI and BDI scores (p = 0.65).
• Comparisons between bruxers and non-bruxers also showed no significant differences in stress or depression levels (p = 0.88, p = 0.77).

Conclusions:

• Sleep bruxism intensity is not significantly correlated with self-reported perceived stress or depression.
• The relationship between sleep bruxism, stress, and depression warrants additional investigation.