Drugs and bruxism: A study in the World Health Organization's pharmacovigilance database

Bruxism is a movement disorder of uncertain aetiology. Beside local peripheral and central psychological factors, drugs were suspected. Using the World Health Organization (WHO) global pharmacovigilance database, Vigibase®, we investigated through disproportionality analyses potential associations between exposure to drugs and bruxism reports. All reports of bruxism in adults between 01/01/2000 and 31/12/2022 were included. Results are expressed as reporting odds ratio (ROR). Among the 564 reports of bruxism, an association was found with eight antidepressants (first sertraline followed by escitalopram, venlafaxine, vortioxetine, citalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine, duloxetine) and four antipsychotics (first ziprasidone followed by aripiprazole, olanzapine, risperidone). A signal was also described for oxybate sodium and metoclopramide. For antidepressants, a negative association was found between ROR values and NET (norepinephrine transporter) but not SERT (serotonin transporter) pKi values, suggesting this ADR is more closely linked to norepinephrine than serotonin reuptake inhibition.