Sleep bruxism associated with nocturnal enuresis in a 6-year-old child

Background: Bruxism is the involuntary grinding of teeth that occurs during sleep or wake time. The prevalence of bruxism in children and adolescents is high when compared to the adult population. Clinical presentation: This article presents a case report of sleep bruxism in a 6-year-old child. The interesting finding here was its association with nocturnal enuresis (NE)/bedwetting. Conclusion/clinical relevance: NE could be a predisposing factor for sleep bruxism in children, as it causes emotional stress and has a negative impact on a child's self esteem. Psychological support and techniques for overcoming NE, like a scheduled waking program at night helps children with these problems by alleviating the associated stress. In addition, NE and bruxism are often associated with other sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and hence, child bruxers require careful medical evaluation to rule out such potential interactions.