Factors associated with awake bruxism according to perceptions of parents/guardians and self-reports of children.

Bruxism is a repetitive activity of the masticatory muscles that has been associated with orofacial disorders and psychosocial factors. The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between possible awake bruxism (PAB) and family functioning, bullying, and dental caries in children eight to ten years of age. A school-based study was conducted with 739 pairs of parents/guardians and children. The parents/guardians answered the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales for the establishment of family functioning. Information on bullying due to dental conditions was collected from the children. Dental caries in the children was evaluated using ICDAS criteria. A directed acyclic graph was used to define the theoretical model and select control factors. Descriptive analysis was performed, followed by multivariate logistic regression for complex samples. Considering the parental reports, fewer years of mother's schooling, a low family income, very flexible family adaptability, and cavitated dental caries were associated with PAB. The female sex, bullying, and orofacial dysfunction were associated with self-reported PAB. Therefore, the factors associated with PAB differ according to the reports of parents/guardians or self-reports of children. Healthcare providers should consider both reports for a more effective intervention addressing possible awake bruxism.