Could sleep quality in pregnant women be related to developmental defects of enamel in children?

Abstract

Anatomical, physiological and hormonal changes occur in women during pregnancy. These phenomena can affect sleep quality, exerting a negative impact on health. Studies suggest that sleep disorders in this period can also affect the health of the fetus. Sleep disorders may interfere with the expression of genes associated with amelogenesis in the fetus. Clock genes are the basis of internal time keeping (circadian rhythm) and are involved in the formation of mineralized dental tissues. Fetal tooth formation is a complex physiological process that begins during intrauterine life, extending to around eight years of age, and can be affected by numerous internal, external, natal and postnatal events. Abnormalities in any stage of development of the dental enamel may have repercussions in the form of permanent defects and marks clinically represented by the presence of grooves, depressions and diffuse or demarcated opacities, which can compromise function and esthetics. Thus, changes in the awake/sleep pattern can affect the tooth formation process. The hypothesis proposed in this paper is that changes in sleep and the circadian rhythm can affect the molecular bases involved in enamel formation either during the intrauterine period or in the first years of life, causing enamel anomalies. This is because the maternal circadian rhythm has a relationship with the circadian clock of their offspring, demonstrating numerous consequences of the imbalance in this relationship on the child's systemic and oral health. New perspectives with regards to oral outcomes may arise from this discussion, such as a greater importance placed on sleep quality in pregnant women and infants.