Evaluation of sleep bruxism and temporomandibular disorders in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND

Chronic renal failure can cause anxiety, stress, and decrease the life quality. Therefore, this may lead to sleep bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), and related health problems.

AIM

This study evaluated the incidence of sleep bruxism and TMDs in patients undergoing hemodialysis and compared it with that of healthy individuals.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 137 patients (68 hemodialysis patients and 69 healthy individuals) participated in this study. They all filled out a form about age, sex, educational status, marital status, sleep disorders, sleep bruxism, temporomandibular problems, and ice/hard things chewing habits. We performed a muscle examination and used a questionnaire to evaluate the causes of TMD. Parafunctional habits and emotional stress status were examined with these YES/NO question forms. Teeth attritions and six common symptoms (limited mouth opening, deviation/deflexion, clicking, muscle sensitivity, pain, and presence of linea alba) of TMDs and sleep bruxism were evaluated via a clinical examination. The level of significance was determined at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Parafunctional habits such as sleep bruxism (55.1%) (P = 0.010), emotional stress (69.1%) (P = 0.006), sleep disorders (47,1%) (P = 0.000), unilateral chewing (54.4%) (P = 0.040), gum-chewing (45.6%) (P = 0.000), ice chewing (23.5%) (P = 0,000), and hard things biting habits (7.4%) (P = 0.028) were statistically higher in the hemodialysis group than the control group. Deviation/deflexion and presence of linea alba were more frequent in the hemodialysis group than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded that hemodialysis patients are more sensitive to TMDs, sleep bruxism and related dental health problems than healthy individuals.