Study on the association between sleep disorders versus oral health related variables

BACKGROUND: To study the association between sleep quality and oral health related variables, which still have conflicts in the literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a population-based case-control study between subjects with versus without sleep disorders from the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS), city of Maringá (N=1,643). Subjects answered self-reported questionnaires: a) Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD), b) Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) and c) North York Dental Health Survey (NYDHS). RESULTS: No significant difference was found for gender, marital status, or income; however, non-Caucasians, people with lower levels of education, and those between 20 to 50 years old had worse scores of sleep disorders in the SAQ. Self-perceived oral health, masticatory capacity to eat foods, and gingival bleeding was significantly worse among subjects with self-reported sleep disorders. Self-reported tooth loss, edentulism and use of removable partial dentures (with clasps) or complete dentures showed no significant difference between groups. Self-reported sleep disorder subjects presented significantly higher prevalence of both self-reported tooth and TMJ pain. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that individuals with self-reported sleep disorders presented worse self-perceived oral health for most studied variables. Key words:Oral health, case control study, sleep; review, gingivitis, periodontitis, tooth loss.