Influence of sleep bruxism on primary headaches in children: a 2013-2018 literature review

Introduction: Headaches are a common problem in children and adolescents and are the primary cause of school absence. Primary headaches are the most common type of headaches in children (migraine, tension-type headaches, neuralgia), which may be the consequence of bruxism, a parafunction consisting in teeth clenching during sleep and when awake. The aim of this review was to determine the link between bruxism episodes and primary headaches in children. Material and methods: The material for this review were studies found independently by two authors in the PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar academic research databases. In order to identify suitable papers the search was conducted using the combination of the following keywords: bruxism, children, headache (according to Medical Subject Headings). Two studies were included in this review. Results: Children with diagnosed episodes of bruxism had a higher risk of primary headache. Sleep bruxism was more frequently diagnosed in children who had episodes of migraine. However, according to the assessment criteria adopted in this review, the results of the analysed studies were rated as moderate value of evidence. Conclusions: Considering the value of evidence and the size of study groups in the analysed research projects, a link between bruxism and primary headaches in children cannot be confirmed. Further research is necessary regarding the relationship between bruxism and primary headaches in children.