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Evaluation of Screen Time, Oral Health Status, and Sleep Disturbances in Children between 6 and 13 years: A
Vaishnavi Padmanabhan1, Sushmita Shan1, K Vivek1
1Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Insights
Excessive screen time, particularly during meals and before bed, is linked to increased dental caries in children. While sleep disturbances were not highly prevalent, moderating screen use is crucial for children's oral and overall health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Sleep Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood sleep is vital for development; disruptions affect functioning.
- Increased screen time negatively impacts children's well-being, sleep, and oral health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess screen time, oral health, and sleep disorder prevalence in children aged 6-13.
- To investigate the relationship between screen time and oral health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 370 children (ages 6-13).
- Validated questionnaires for screen time and sleep disturbances.
- Dental caries assessed using ICDAS II; statistical analyses included regression.
Main Results:
- Most children exceeded recommended screen time (1-2 hrs weekdays, 2-3 hrs weekends).
- High screen use during meals (98.6%) and before sleep (92.7%).
- Screen use during meals significantly associated with increased dental caries (cavitated and non-cavitated).
Conclusions:
- Screen time during meals and before bed correlates with higher dental caries rates.
- Clinically significant sleep disturbances were not prevalent despite high screen exposure.
- Moderating screen usage is essential for improving children's oral and overall health.
Background:
Sleep is a critical component required for the growth and development of a child. Deviation from the normal sleep pattern, quality, and quantity directly affects the baseline functioning of the individual. Increased screen time exposure affects the overall well-being of the child, particularly the sleep and oral health.
Aim:
To assess the average screen time exposure, oral health status, and prevalence of sleep disorders in children between 6 and 13 years of age.
Materials And Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 370 children visiting the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry between July 2024 and January 2025. Data were collected using a validated screen time questionnaire and the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children. Dental caries was assessed using the ICDAS II index. The descriptive statistics were reported in the form of mean and standard deviation. ANOVA, bivariate, and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed. Statistical significance was noted when the p-value was ≤0.05.
Results:
A majority of children (60.3%) had 1-2 hours of screen time on weekdays, while 56.5% reported 2-3 hours on weekends. About 98.6% used screens during mealtimes, and 92.7% used screen devices within an hour before sleep. A statistically significant association was observed between screen usage during mealtimes and increased prevalence of both cavitated (p = 0.02) and noncavitated (p = 0.01) carious lesions. However, a weak and nonsignificant correlation was found between total sleep score and caries status.
Conclusion:
Prolonged screen time, especially during meals and 1 hour before bedtime, was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of dental caries in children. Despite the presence of excessive screen exposure, the incidence of clinically significant sleep disturbances remained relatively low. The findings of this study emphasize the need to monitor and moderate screen usage in children to improve overall and oral health outcomes in children.
