The interface between dentistry and respiratory sleep disorders in children

To study the incidence of mouth breathing and its association with sleep disorders, dental caries, malocclusion and deleterious oral habits, in children.

152 children (6 to 9 years), of both genders, were invited to perform clinical evaluation of the oral cavity and the application of the OSA-18.

89 presented mouth breathing (MB), being 45% with malocclusion, 56% with dental caries, 38% with tooth loss, 51% with bruxism and 52% with the habit of sucking finger or pacifier, compared to 40%, 40%, 21%, 27% and 43%, respectively, in the 63 children with nasal breathing (NB). 35 MB showed moderate to high risk for OSAS, while only 8 of the children showed moderate risk. The average score of OSA-18 was 50 (MB:57/NB:40), with 29 (19%) children showing moderate risk. Among these, 74% presented mouth breathing, 26% malocclusion, 61% dental caries, 35% tooth loss, 42% bruxism and 55% sucked finger or pacifier, and in the 14 (9%) with high risk, they were 100%, 75%, 58%, 50%, 67% and 67%, respectively.

High frequencies of respiratory disorders with sleep repercussions associated with oral alterations were observed, reinforcing the correlation between mouth breathing and changes in stomatognathic system.