Bruxism and associated factors among Israeli adolescents

Objectives: 1. To assess the prevalence rates of self-reported sleep and awake bruxism among Israeli adolescents.
2. To determine the associations between sleep and awake bruxism with several demographical, exogenous, and psychosocial factors among Israeli adolescents.
Methods: This survey was performed in several high schools in the center of Israel and was approved by the Principal Investigator of the Ministry of Education. The survey included 1,000 adolescents between the ages of 12-18. The survey was performed using a questioner that was filed by the adolescents while being supervised. This survey is part of an international study which includes Holland and the Palestinian Authority.
Results: Sleep and awake bruxism prevalence was 9.2% and 19.2%, respectively. Our study showed statistically significant associations between adolescent sleep bruxism and scraping joint sounds and with stress. Statistically significant associations were found between adolescent awake bruxism and: age, orofacial pain, scraping joint sounds, stress and feeling blue.
Conclusions: 1. The results of our study show, that self-reported sleep and awake bruxism prevalence is common among Israeli adolescents, with similar bruxism prevalence rates among adults, according to various studies.
2. No statistical significance association was found between sleep and awake bruxism and sex.
3. The following predictor variables were associated with adolescent sleep bruxism: reported scraping joint sounds and stress.
4. For awake bruxism associations were found with: age, scraping joint sounds, orofacial pain, stress and feeling blue.
5. A statistical significance was found between sleep bruxism and awake bruxism- a person that reported about sleep bruxism is at a higher risk to suffer from awake bruxism as well (and the vice-versa).
6. Chewing gum was the most common Para-functional activity among Israeli adolescents.