The Correlation between Intestinal Parasitic Infections and Bruxism among 3-6 Year-Old Children in Isfahan

BACKGROUND: Given the fact that bruxism is a prevalent oral habit among children and a potential destructor of oral tissues, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between intestinal parasitic infections and bruxism among kindergarten children. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered among parents of kindergarten children in Isfahan to select 50 children identified by their parents to have the habit of bruxism and 50 without the habit as control group. Informed consent was obtained prior to the investigation. Parents were delivered sampling instruments with proper instructions to collect stool samples from both groups for parasitological tests. The diagnostic parasitological tests involved the direct stool smear, formol-ether concentration, and Scotch tape tests. Comparison for the frequency distribution of intestinal parasitic infections between the two groups was performed using the chi-square test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Parasitic infections were observed in 19 (11/50 cases and 8/50 controls) children. A statistically significant relationship was observed between infection with pathogenic parasites and bruxism (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that pathogenic parasites may serve as the cause of initiation of bruxism habits among children.