Bullying victimization is associated with possible sleep bruxism in school children

Abstract

• Possible sleep bruxism has been associated with bullying victimization. • Victims of bullying require special attention. • The present results spark a wake-up call to the importance of multidisciplinary approaches. Children in the school phase can be victims of bullying, which can have emotional and functional repercussions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between bullying victimization and possible SB in children six to ten years of age. The present cross-sectional study was performed with a sample of 386 children. Questionnaires were sent to the parents/caregivers of the children to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics and oral habits. Possible SB was determined based on the reports of parents/caregivers regarding the occurrence of clenching/grinding the teeth during sleep. This information was obtained through a question on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Bullying victimization was evaluated using the Olweus Bully Victim Questionnaire. Descriptive analysis as well as univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed. The prevalence of SB was significantly higher among children whose parents/caregivers reported that their children seemed to stop breathing during sleep (PR = 2.13; 95%CI: 1.52–2.98; p <0.01) and children who reported being victims of bullying (PR = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.09–2.25; p = 0.01). Limitations: The cross-sectional design impedes the establishment of causality in the associations encountered. The prevalence of possible sleep bruxism was higher among children who had been victims of some episode of bullying in the studied population. The present findings propose the need for a multidisciplinary approach that involves physicians, psychologies, dentists, and school staff members. The school community, parents/caregivers, and children should be aware of the consequences of bullying for health.