Bladder and bowel dysfunction in children with sleep bruxism

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Urology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Limited evidence exists on the direct link between sleep bruxism and nocturnal enuresis.
• The specific type of nocturnal enuresis (monosymptomatic vs. non-monosymptomatic) in relation to sleep bruxism is not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and types of nocturnal enuresis in children experiencing sleep bruxism.
• To identify other lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with sleep bruxism in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• 184 children were evaluated, with sleep bruxism diagnosed via history and clinical examination.
• Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and dysfunction (LUTD) were assessed using the Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence Symptom Scale (DVISS).
• Statistical analysis, including Mann-Whitney U test and Crosstab, compared children with and without sleep bruxism.

Main Results:

• Sleep bruxism was identified in 41.8% of the children.
• Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) was significantly more prevalent in children with sleep bruxism (24.7%) compared to controls (10.3%).
• Non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE), voiding pain, intermittent urination, post-void dribbling, urge incontinence, and constipation were more frequent in the bruxism group.

Conclusions:

• Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), particularly non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE), is more common in children with sleep bruxism.
• The study highlights a significant association between sleep bruxism and various lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).
• Validated questionnaires offer a practical method for screening LUTS in children with sleep bruxism.