Title : Snoring in school children and its association with altered dimension of palate and malocclusion: A cross-sectional study
Abstract:
Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify whether alterations in the dimension of the palate and cases of malocclusion were associated with snoring in children.
Methods: A cross-sectional study with a sample of 547 children between 7 and 13 years of age was conducted in Santa Maria, Brazil. The data were obtained by means of questionnaires, dental and speech examinations. A descriptive analysis was performed to evaluate the sample characteristics and prevalence of snoring. Unadjusted and adjusted Poisson regression analyses with robust variance were performed to assess the association between predictor variables (demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, palate dimensions and malocclusion) and the occurrence of snoring (outcome). A secondary analysis was made considering the interaction between palate measurements (depth and width) with the presence of different types of malocclusion (anterior open bite, accentuated overjet and posterior crossbite) to evaluate their pooled impact on the occurrence of snoring.
Results: The prevalence of snoring among these individuals was 25.1%. Children who had a narrow palate and did not have anterior open bite were more likely to snore. Independently of irregular palate width (narrow or raised), individuals with accentuated overjet showed a higher prevalence of snoring. A higher occurrence number of cases of snoring were found in patients with deep and narrow palate associated with the presence of posterior crossbite.
Conclusion: A positive association was demonstrated between the presence of snoring in children with a narrower palate, accentuated overjet, posterior crossbite associated with smaller width and greater depth of the palate.
Audience Take Away:
- The public will receive consistent data which craniofacial alterations may be associated with snoring in schoolchildren
- Understand the high prevalence of snoring in schoolchildren
- Knowledge of the importance of evaluating and recognizing predictive factors related to snoring that can lead to sleep disorders in schoolchildren
