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Association Between Primary Headache and Bruxism: An Updated Systematic Review
Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache
|June 15, 2021
Summary
Adults with awake bruxism have a significantly higher chance of experiencing tension-type headaches. However, sleep bruxism shows no association with tension-type headaches, and its link to migraines remains uncertain.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Dental Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Bruxism, the involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth, is increasingly recognized as a potential factor in primary headache disorders.
- Understanding the relationship between different types of bruxism (awake and sleep) and specific primary headaches is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review observational studies investigating the association between primary headaches and bruxism in adult populations.
- To synthesize current evidence on the link between awake bruxism, sleep bruxism, and common primary headaches like migraines and tension-type headaches.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across seven major databases and three gray literature sources.
- Included studies focused on adult samples, with primary headaches diagnosed using the International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria.
- Risk of bias was assessed using established tools, and evidence certainty was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria.
Main Results:
- Five observational studies met the inclusion criteria, examining both awake and sleep bruxism in relation to migraines and tension-type headaches.
- A significant positive association was found between awake bruxism and tension-type headaches (Odds Ratio [OR] = 5.23).
- The association between sleep bruxism and tension-type headaches was not significant, and the link with migraines was inconsistent across studies, with low to very low certainty of evidence.
Conclusions:
- Awake bruxism is strongly associated with an increased risk of tension-type headaches in adults.
- Current evidence does not support an association between sleep bruxism and tension-type headaches.
- The relationship between sleep bruxism and migraines requires further investigation due to conflicting findings and low evidence certainty.
