The association of childhood sleep problems with the prevalence of traumatic dental injury in schoolchildren

Background/aim: Sleep quality exerts an influence on attention level and motor skills and is associated with accidental injuries in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between traumatic dental injury and sleep behaviour in children.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a small city in southern Brazil with a representative sample of schoolchildren aged 8-10 years (n = 537). Weight and height were measured, and examinations were performed for the determination of clinical occlusion and traumatic dental injury. The parents answered the Sleep Behaviour Questionnaire and questions addressing socio-demographic characteristics.

Results: The prevalence of traumatic dental injury was 22% (95% CI: 19-26) and was higher among children who woke three to four times per night (PR = 3.30; 95% CI: 2.47-4.39), those who fell asleep in the parental bed (PR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.09-1.83), those who were not in a good mood on waking up in the morning (PR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02-1.65), those who became sleepy while sitting and/or studying (PR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.09-2.24) and while watching TV (PR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.0005-1.97) and those who had bad dreams (PR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.04-1.76). The Poisson multiple regression model with a multilevel approach revealed that the prevalence of traumatic dental injury was 1.51-fold higher among children with daytime drowsiness (PR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.11-2.04) after adjusting for socio-demographic, occlusal and anthropometric variables.

Conclusion: Sleep problems were associated with a higher prevalence of traumatic dental injury among the children analysed.