Association Between Tooth Eruption and Parent-Reported Awake Bruxism in Early Childhood

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Child Development
• Oral Health

Background:

• Parent-reported awake bruxism (PRAB) in early childhood is linked to mandibular instability during primary tooth eruption, but the connection requires further clarification.
• Understanding factors influencing PRAB is crucial for addressing potential oral health issues in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between the frequency of PRAB and the number of erupted primary teeth, categorized by dental groups.
• To explore associations between PRAB and signs/symptoms of tooth eruption, oral habits, and sociodemographic factors.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 144 Brazilian children aged 4-36 months.
• Data collected via parent/caregiver interviews on sociodemographics, oral habits, eruption symptoms, and PRAB frequency.
• Oral examinations by a dentist to record erupted primary teeth; statistical analyses included descriptive, chi-square, and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of PRAB was 16.7% among the study participants.
• No significant associations were found between PRAB frequency and child's sex, age, oral habits, or eruption symptoms.
• A higher number of erupted primary molars and canines showed a significant inverse association with PRAB frequency (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The number of erupted primary molars and canines is associated with PRAB frequency in early childhood.
• These findings support the hypothesis that awake bruxism in this age group may function as an adaptive behavior during tooth eruption.