Observational Assessment of the Effect of Sleep Bruxism on Oxyhaemoglobin Saturation:A Preliminary Study

Sleep bruxism, characterized by involuntary muscle activity and classified into phasic and tonic patterns, warrants analysis with respect to physiological parameters, as this could aid in understanding its broader health implications. This observational study aimed to compare oxyhaemoglobin saturation between subjects with and without sleep bruxism.

Ninety subjects aged between 18 and 45 years, with natural permanent dentition, normal occlusion, no temporomandibular dysfunction, and no obstructive sleep apnoea, were selected and divided into two homogeneous groups regarding age, sex, weight, and height. The sleep bruxism group comprised 29 women and 16 men (mean age 30.5±6.8), as did the control group (mean age 29.4±7.9). All subjects underwent an overnight PSG session, with the diagnosis of sleep bruxism established according to the criteria of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Minimum, mean, and maximum oxyhaemoglobin saturation levels were evaluated using pulse oximetry. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test (p<0.05).

Comparisons between the groups revealed significant differences in the maximum oxyhaemoglobin saturation index (p=0.04). The sleep bruxism group showed a lower maximum oxyhaemoglobin saturation index compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed for minimum or mean oxyhaemoglobin saturation.

Sleep bruxism was associated with a lower maximum oxyhaemoglobin saturation compared with controls. Although the observed difference was small and remained within normal physiological limits, these findings suggest a possible relationship between sleep bruxism and oxygenation dynamics during sleep that warrants further investigation.