Impact of Confinement by COVID-19 in Awake and Sleep Bruxism Reported by Portuguese Dental Students.

Confinement by COVID-19 was a stressful period that could potentially trigger awake bruxism (AB) and/or sleep bruxism (SB) behaviors. This study aims to characterize the AB and SB behaviors reported by Portuguese dental students before the pandemic and during the first period of mandatory confinement by COVID-19. Dental students were included in this longitudinal study. They answered the Portuguese validated version of the Oral Behavior Checklist (OBC) before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged (T1) and one month after mandatory confinement started in Portugal (T2). Descriptive statistics and the linear-by-linear association test were performed to assess changes over time (p ≤ 0.05). Sixty-four dental students (mean age 22.5 ± 2.8 years; 81.5% females) completed the study protocol. Considering AB, there was a general increase of the behavior from T1 to T2. The percentage of participants who reported to "grind their teeth when waking up" just few times decreased (p < 0.001) and the percentage of participants who reported "feeling discomfort/tension in the facial muscles when waking up just few times" increased (p = 0.019). Considering SB, there was a significant decrease of the behavior in all samples. The number of "None" report to grinding teeth during sleep or when waking up increased (p = 0.012). An increase in the self-reporting of feeling discomfort in masticatory muscles when awake or sleeping was observed (p = 0.028). The percentage of participants who did "not remember" any AB or SB activity decreased (p < 0.050). The confinement due to COVID-19 resulted in a forced change in dental students' lifestyles that resulted in an increase of reported AB and a decrease of reported SB. Clinical Significance: In case of confinement periods, students should be encouraged to try normalizing their daily life by creating healthy routines and, by doing so, reducing the possible predisposition to bruxism and its consequences.

Possible sleep bruxism, smartphone addiction and sleep quality among Brazilian university students during COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: To evaluate the association of sleep bruxism activity with smartphone addiction and sleep quality among university students during COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey with 546 university students in social distancing was conducted (May 29th to June 2nd 2020). Participants should be undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Brazilian public/private universities. A self-completed questionnaire collected sociodemographic characteristics, academic information, and severity of possible sleep bruxism (PSB) activities (grinding, bracing, and thrusting). Students answered the Brazilian version of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI-BR) and short form of the smartphone addiction scale (SAS-SV). Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were performed (p=0.05). Results: Sample mean age was 24.9 (±5.5) years. Students with higher scores of PSQI-BR were more likely to present severe PSB-bracing (OR=1.154; 95%CI=1.057-1.260), severe PSB-grinding (OR=1.133; 95%CI=1.048-1.225) and severe PSB-thrusting (OR=1.197;95%CI=1.107-1.294). Students who had children presented 3 times more chance (OR=3.193; 95%CI=1.236-8.250) to report severe PSB-thrusting. Being female increased the chance of reporting moderate (OR=3.315; 95%CI=1.333-8.914) and severe (OR=2.940; 95%CI=1.116-7.747) PSB-thrusting. Students not enrolled in distance learning presented 2 times more chance (OR=2.638; 95%CI=1.233-5.649) of reporting moderate PSB-grinding. Students with higher scores in SAS-SV had a slight increase in the chance of presenting mild (OR=1.042; 95%CI=1.009-1.077) and moderate (OR=1.065; 95%CI=1.018-1.115) PSB-bracing, as well as mild (OR=1.044; 95%CI=1.011-1.078) and moderate (OR=1.041; 95%CI=1.005-1.077) PSB-thrusting. Conclusion: Smartphone addiction, worse sleep quality, having children, female sex and not being enrolled in distance learning were associated possible sleep bruxism during COVID-19 pandemic.

Can children's oral hygiene and sleep routines be compromised during the COVID-19 pandemic?

BACKGROUND: During COVID-19 pandemic, children are confined at home, with changes in family routines. AIM: Evaluate sleep disorders among Brazilian and Portuguese children during social distancing, and its association with parental perception of child's oral hygiene. DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study, Portuguese and Brazilian parents/caregivers of 3- to 15-year-old children, practicing social distancing due to COVID-19 pandemic, answered an online questionnaire, from April 24-26, 2020, evaluating sociodemographic characteristics, child's school activities online, child's sleep quality during social distancing. Two questions from the questionnaire, developed based on previous studies, evaluated the parental perception of child's oral hygiene quality and routine changes during social distancing. Parents/caregivers answered five domains of the Portuguese-language version of the Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children, evaluating sleep-breathing disorders, disorders of arousal, sleep-wake transition disorders, disorders of excessive somnolence and sleep hyperhidrosis. Descriptive, Linear-by-linear association, Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc analysis were performed (P ≤ .05). RESULTS: Participated in the study 253 parents/caregivers, 50.2% from Brazil. Most parents (72.2%) reported changes in child's routine during social distancing. Sleep breathing disorders (P = .019), sleep-wake transition disorders (P = .022), and disorders of excessive somnolence (P < .001) were associated with poor oral hygiene during social distancing. CONCLUSION: Sleep disorders are associated with poor oral hygiene during social distancing.