The Effect of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Antidepressants on Bruxism: A Systematic Review

The aim of this research was to perform a systematic review of the literature using the Cochrane Library criteria to establish whether there is a relationship between the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and bruxism. We performed a review of randomised clinical trials studies that compared individuals treated with SSRI antidepressants to those treated with a placebo to detect an association between treatments with SSRIs the clinical and/or polysomnographic diagnosis of sleep bruxism. Studies were excluded from the review if the methods used were unclear or if they presented results that were inconsistent with their stated aims. In addition, descriptive and observational studies, literature reviews, case reports, and case series were not included. In the selection process, there were no requirements with regard to the language of the study or the source of the information. The MEDLINE, LILACS, CENTRAL, Embase and PsycINFO databases were examined using pre-established electronic search strategies. None of the 48 selected articles met the criteria for the present review. Thus, we were not able to perform a systematic review using the Cochrane Library criteria. There are no studies that have been conducted using consistent, validated methods that elucidate the relationship between sleep bruxism and the use of SSRIs. Studies should be conducted using appropriate methods to validate this relationship.