Parental Awareness of Bruxism in Saudi Children: A Public Health Concern

Bruxism is defined as a non-functional rhythmic and/or spasmodic gnashing, grinding, and clenching of the teeth. Parents are often unaware of bruxism in children. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness of bruxism among parents of children in Saudi Arabia. Across-sectional study approved by the (IRB) was conducted using a questionnaire, which was developed to assess the awareness of bruxism among parents based on the American Association of Sleep Medicine criteria. The questionnaire included questions distributed among the following elements: a) demographic data, b) prevalence of self-reported bruxism by parents, c) parental history of bruxism, d) child's sleep habits, e) the seeking of professional medical help, and f) parents' knowledge regarding bruxism. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 version statistical software. Fifty-five of the children were male (n = 824) and 45% were female (n = 675). The children's ages ranged from 6-10 years. The parent-reported prevalence of bruxism among their children was 45.7%. About 38% of parents were aware of what bruxism is, 34.7% were doubtful, and 27.8% were not aware of it, which is statistically significant (p<0.0001). Almost 52% of parents expressed a positive response to the question of whether or not "bruxism could endanger their child's health". Fifty-two percent of participants selected psychological causes as a trigger for bruxism. In Conclusion the majority of parents lack awareness of bruxism. A multidisciplinary approach including dentistry should be considered to increase parental awareness about bruxism in children.