Prevalence Of Trigeminal Neuralgia Research Articles

Features of trigeminal nerve exit on the base of the brain: neurovascular conflict

The trigeminal nerve is a complex anatomical formation that performs very important tasks in terms of functionality. This article focuses on the study of the exit of the trigeminal nerve and its syntopy with arteries. It is the study of the location of nearby vessels relative to the nerve and their neurovascular conflict that determines the relevance of this work. The prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is quite high and amounts to 40–60 patients per 100,000 population, and the incidence according to the World Health Organization is within 2–4 people per 10,000 population. The maximum risk of neurovascular conflict is observed in the age group of people from 45 to 60 years. It is also known that women suffer from neuralgia significantly more often than men. Not only the exact diagnosis, but also the selection of the most appropriate treatment tactics will depend on the result of studies of the individual anatomical features of the pons area. The authors of the article studied 17 preparations of the base of the brain of middle-aged individuals, fixed in a 7 % formalin solution. Of the 17 preparations studied, neurovascular relationships were noted in 14, which is 82.4 % of the total. As a result of morphometric measurements, the data on the length and width of the pons, the thickness of the trigeminal nerve roots, and the middle cerebellar peduncles were obtained. Statistical data processing and photographic documentation were carried out. The clinical manifestations of the disease, diagnostic options, and various methods of treatment were considered. The most effective method of treating neurovascular conflict is surgery, the first mention of which dates back to 1934.

Management of trigeminal neuralgia: A multi-centre case study in general practice

Background and aims Patients often first present with symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) to primary care. However, there has been little research to determine whether the diagnosis and management of this condition is carried out according to current guidelines. Furthermore, there is little up-to-date information regarding the prevalence of TN in the UK. The aim is to estimate the prevalence of TN and to audit the diagnosis and management process of TN in primary care. Methods Between 2019 and 2020 a search was made at five UK GP practices with a total patient population of 55,842 using EMIS and SystmOne patient record systems to review patient consultations to identify patients coded with TN or facial pain (FP). These records were reviewed to ascertain the basis for diagnosis, management in primary care and referral to secondary care. Results 157 patients were identified; 54 coded with FP and 103 with TN. These results indicate a prevalence of 22.3 in 10,000. There was no difference in documented symptoms between the two groups. Seven patients had all ICDH3 criteria recorded, with two meeting the requirements for TN diagnosis. 58.8% of patients with TN were started on carbamazepine, the current gold standard treatment, compared with 16.7% in the FP group. 38.2% of TN patients were referred to a range of different specialities. Conclusion The prevalence of TN may be higher than previously thought. Key diagnostic criteria are often omitted, leading to potential misdiagnosis or delays in diagnosis. Relatively few referrals are made, though all patients should be considered for imaging.

Prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia in patients visiting dental OPD of a dental college in Kanpur: A demographic study

Abstract
 Aims and objectives: Tic douloureux is another name for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The first report of TN can be found in the writing of Avicenna in the 11th century, but John Fothergill gave the modern description of TN in his 1773 paper on the subject. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia (TGN) among north Indian population.
 Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study on the prevalence of Trigeminal neuralgia was conducted in the outpatient department of Oral Medicine and Radiology during a period of 5 years (1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019) months. All selected patients over the age of 18 were asked for their TN history using a structured questionnaire based on diagnostic criteria of trigeminal neuralgia according to the beta-version of the 3rd edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD3-beta) after acquiring their personal data (name, age, gender and address).Descriptive statistics included calculation of means and percentages. Data distribution was assessed for normality using Shapiro-Wilk test to check whether a sample came from a normally distributed population or not. The chi-square test is used to determine whether there is a significant difference between the expected frequencies and the observed frequencies in one or more categories. Student’s t-test was used to test the means between the samples. All values were considered statistically significant for a value of p<0.05.
 Results: Results: Out of 1500 patients, 26.67%were male and 73.33% were female. The peak incidence was in the age range of 60-70 years. Maxillary nerve (71.1%) was most commonly is involved followed by mandibular (20.2%) and ophthalmic (8.7%) nerve. The right side of the face (80%) was more involved than the left side (20%) of the face. The majority of patients described their attack as a shock like and of spontaneous onset.
 Conclusion: TN is often misdiagnosed as toothache, resulting in root canal therapy and tooth extractions. To recognize and manage this problem, an interprofessional strategy involving the primary care physician, dentist, neurologist, anesthesiologist, and neurosurgeon is required. Correct diagnosis and management can benefit patients and result in a good prognosis.

Trigeminal neuralgia and associated unwarranted dental treatment

AbstractAimThis study aimed to note the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in patients reporting to a tertiary care centre along with the unwarranted dental treatment they had received due to ignorance about the same.MethodologyAll patients reporting to the Dentistry Out Patient Department (OPD) over 1 year were screened for TN and their demographics, side and site of neuralgia along with any dental treatment received in relation to the complaint site were noted and compared.ResultsOut of 14,952 OPD patients, the prevalence of TN was 0.30% (45) with a female to male ratio of 3:2. It was more common on the right side and affected the mandibular division the most. More than 80% of patients underwent at least one unnecessary dental procedure before being diagnosed with TN, this was more common in the rural population as compared to city dwellers.ConclusionTo decrease the number of unwarranted dental procedures being done on TN patients, thorough knowledge of TN amongst both the public and dentists is essential to reduce patient agony, decrease the delay in diagnosis, facilitate early resolution of symptoms and eventually disease and improve the patient's quality of life. Timely neurology referral is the key to better management and reduces unnecessary dental procedures undergone by patients unknowingly and eventually decreases the emotional and economic burden on them.

Prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia in Patients with Chronic Facial Pain in Neurology Lrh Hospital Peshawar.

Background: Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) consist of brief periodic but severe and chronic facial pain in acial region in single or multiple branches of the trigeminal nerve.
 Objective: The objective of this study was to find the prevalence of TN in patients with chronic facial pain.
 Methodology: This cross sectional observational study was conducted at Department of Neurology OPD Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. 46 patients with chronic facial pain were selected for the study. All data was taken on a structured Performa and was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Using non probability consecutive sampling after taking approval from Ethical Committee of the hospital, study duration was 10 months from 25-1-2019 to 25-10-2019.
 Results: Out of 46 patients, there were 18 (39.1%) males and 28 (60.9%) females. The mean age of the patients was 50.67, the Standard Deviation recorded was 11.56. Minimum age was 21 and maximum age was 67. 23. Out of 31 patients diagnosed with TN had history of tooth extraction and 8 had no extraction. Out of 31 patients presented with TN, right side was involved in 24 (52.2%) patients and left side was involved in 7 (15.2%) patients. Mandibular never was more common in the patients with TN which was 37% followed by maxillary nerve 21.7%, and ophthalmic nerve at 8.7%. Majority of the patients 28 (75.7%) belonged to the age group of 40 to 67. Females having TGN were 78% and males were 50%. Right side (52.2%) was more involved than left side. Mandibular division (37%) was more involved than maxillary and ophthalmic division.
 Conclusion: We conclude that females are more at risk of developing TN than males. Increasing age has a higher chance of developing TN. Right side is more involved than left. Mandibular division is more involved than maxillary and ophthalmic.

Historical aspects of the problem of treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and the role of neurosurgical methods in its solution (literature review)

The trigeminal nerve is a mixed fifth cranial nerve, consisting of motor and sensory components. The sensitive component receives somesthetic information from the skin and mucous membranes of the face into the central nervous system, and the motor component is responsible for the innervation of chewing muscles. One of the manifestations of the pathology of the trigeminal nerve is pain syndrome. Trigeminal neuralgia occupies the main place among neurogenic pain syndrome in the face, is characterized by а severe course and the absence of sufficiently effective methods of treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia in different countries is 2–5 cases per 100 thousand people per year. Trigeminal neuralgia is classified into 3 etiologic categories. Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia occurs without apparent cause. Classical trigeminal neuralgia is caused by vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve root. Secondary trigeminal neuralgia is the consequence of a major neurologic disease, e. g., a tumor of the cеrеbеllоpоntine angle or multiple sclerosis. Today, there are many different options for the surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. microvascular decompression of the root, radiosurgical destruction of the Gasser’s node, radiofrequency destruction, glycerol rhizotomy, balloon microcompression are considered the main effective and proven surgical methods for treating trigeminal neuralgia. But the questions of diagnosing the cause of the disease and choosing an adequate surgical method for treating therapeutically resistant trigeminal neuralgia for a particular patient remain open. The development of surgical methods begins from ancient times to the present day. The main stages in the development of neurosurgical treatment methods are presented. The following surgical techniques are described: open method – microvascular decompression, and closed percutaneous destructive methods – radiofrequency destruction, glycerol rhizotomy, balloon compression, radiosurgery, cryodestruction, laser destruction, botulinum toxin injections.

An Audit of Trigeminal Neuralgia Patients Visiting the Tertiary Care Hospital of Lahore

Objective: This study aimed to know the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia in patients presenting to the University College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Lahore, the side of involvement, most common nerve involved and the age of onset of disease. Study Design: observational cross-sectional study. Settings: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University College of Dentistry, University of Lahore, Lahore Pakistan. Duration: January 2018 to December 2019. Methodology: After approval from the ethical committee, the record of all patients was checked over a period from January 2018 to December 2019 who presented the oral and maxillofacial department of University College of Dentistry, University of Lahore. The total number of patients presented in this period was noted to calculate prevalence and the confirmed cases of trigeminal neuralgia were selected. The spreadsheet was prepared to collect the data. The descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS version 21. Results: During this study period 17155 patients visited the oral and maxillofacial surgery department. Out of 17155, only 80 patients (0.46%) of trigeminal neuralgia presented to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department. Females are affected more than males. The right facial side is more involved than the left. It affects more the middle age (41%-50%) patients. In our population, the mandibular branch was more affected than the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve. Conclusion: Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare disease; its prevalence is 0.46% in our institution. It has a propensity for middle-aged females. The mandibular branch (V3) of the trigeminal nerve is more affected than the maxillary branch (V2) followed by ophthalmic branch (V1).

A multicenter survey on access to care in Multiple Sclerosis-related trigeminal neuralgia

The prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is higher than in the general population and its management can be particularly challenging due to a number of reasons including high recurrence rates, lack of MS-specific treatment guidelines and uncertainties about pain pathophysiology.Aim of this cross-sectional, multicentre survey was to gather information on the current treatment modalities and options of MS-related TN across 23 Italian MS centres.Initial medical management (carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine) of MS-related TN was fairly homogeneous throughout Italian centres. The most commonly available surgical procedure was microvascular decompression, but the frequency and types of surgical procedures available locally differed considerably throughout MS centers, and were unavailable in one quarter of them.This survey reveals some of the issues that could hamper an optimal patient management and underlines the need for a consensus on MS-related TN to support health-care professionals in their approach to this challenging condition and to facilitate the development of local guidelines aimed at ensuring equity in access to care and treatment optimization.

Prevalence of orofacial Pain among working adults - A Retrospective Study

Orofacial pain can be defined as a discipline of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and management of different types of pain pertaining to the orofacial region such as the trigeminal neuralgia, atypical facial pain, postherpetic neuralgia, etc. The aim of the current study is to determine the prevalence of Orofacial Pain among working adults. The retrospective study involved the analysis of the case sheets of the patients with orofacial pain in the stipulated time frame and assessment based on the following parameters: age, gender, the type of orofacial pain, working status—statistical analysis calculated by chi-square test. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. The prevalence of orofacial pain was 0.08% with a female - to - the male ratio of 1.06: 1 and working adults to non-working adults ratio of 1.36: 1. Trigeminal neuralgia shows a male-female ratio of 1.18: 1 and higher prevalence of Atypical facial pain in females (15.15%). According to our study, it can be concluded that orofacial pain was more prevalent in females. The prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia was higher in males and Atypical facial pain was the most prevalent type in females.

Prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia in Patients Reported to Private Dental Institution.

Prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia in Patients Reported to Private Dental Institution.

The Prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia in Turkey: A Population-Based Study

ABSTRACT Objective Population-based studies on the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) worldwide are rare and the epidemiology of TN in Turkey is unknown. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of TN in Turkey. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based, descriptive epidemiological study in Ereğli, Turkey. Participants over the age of 18 were screened using a self-assessment form, and potential patients were identified by a ‘neuroscreening team’. Suspected patients were invited for a clinical examination and evaluated by a senior neurologist. Any required imaging was carried out at a university hospital. Results Data were collected from a total of 9605 participants, after the exclusion of 247 individuals who refused to participate. Seven suspected patients were invited to a public health center for clinical evaluation. One patient was diagnosed with SUNCT (Short-lasting, Unilateral, Neuralgiform headache attacks with Conjunctival injection and Tearing) and one patient was diagnosed with post-herpetic neuralgia. A definite diagnosis of TN was confirmed in five participants. The crude prevalence was found to be 52.1/100.000. The mean age of cases was 62.2 ± 8.3 years and the female/male ratio was 4/1. TN was classified as ‘symptomatic’ in one patient with multiple sclerosis. The other four cases were diagnosed with classical TN. Right side involvement was identified in three cases (60%), whereas left side involvement was seen in two cases (40%). Discussion This study establishes the prevalence of TN in Turkey for the first time. The prevalence rate is low when compared with other international studies.

Trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis: Prevalence and association with demyelination.

The association of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) with multiple sclerosis (MS) is still widely unaddressed in larger, systematical clinical series. In this study, a cohort of Finnish MS patients was assessed regarding the incidence and prevalence of TN, as well as the presence of demyelinating lesions near the trigeminal ganglion, thus searching for a causative role of MS plaques in TN onset. All consecutive patients treated and followed up for MS (ICD-code G35) in Helsinki University Hospital during 2004-2017 were identified from the Finnish MS register. A hospital administrative database search was used to identify all patients treated and followed up for TN during the same period. Among the MS patients, head MRI scans available from the diagnostic phase of TN or thereafter were analysed. We identified a total of 2575 patients with MS and 2008 patients with TN. Both diagnoses could be verified for 55 patients, giving a prevalence of 2.1% for TN in MS. The incidence of TN in MS patients was 149/100000 person-years (95% CI 108-190). In the general outpatient population of our neurological department, the incidence of TN was 9.9/100000 person-years (95% CI 9.5-10.3). A demyelinating lesion in the proximity of the trigeminal ganglia was seen for 63% of the 41 patients with relevant MRI data available. Incidence of TN among MS patients was 15-fold higher than in the general neurological outpatient population, thus in favour of a strong association between MS and TN.

Prevalence of common causes of neuropathic pain in Korea: population-based observational study.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), trigeminal neuralgia (TN), and diabetic neuropathy (DN), common causes of neuropathic pain encountered in pain clinics.MethodsWe investigated the period prevalence rate of CRPS, PHN, TN, and DN using data from a Korean national electronic database from 2009 to 2013.ResultsThe prevalence of CRPS decreased slightly throughout the study period, while the prevalence of PHN increased from 2009 to 2013. The prevalence of TN was reduced over the same period. The prevalence of DN increased from 2009 to 2012 but decreased in 2013. All four neuropathic diseases were more prevalent in individuals aged over 70 years. The prevalence of CRPS, PHN, and TN were more common in women than in men, but DN showed no gender difference.ConclusionWhile the prevalence of CRPS and TN has decreased in Korea, that of PHN and DN has increased. With the exception of DN, the neuropathic diseases were more prevalent in women. Further studies are necessary to investigate the risk factors and socioeconomic burden for each disease, and national efforts are essential to limit the development of these preventable neuropathic diseases.

Percutaneous glycerol rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia in patients with multiple sclerosis: a long-term retrospective cohort study.

The prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS-TN) is higher than in the general population (idiopathic TN [ITN]). Glycerol rhizotomy (GR) is a percutaneous lesioning surgery commonly performed for the treatment of medically refractory TN. While treatment for acute pain relief is excellent, long-term pain relief is poorer. The object of this study was to assess the efficacy of percutaneous retrogasserian GR for the treatment of MS-TN versus ITN. A retrospective chart review was performed, identifying 219 patients who had undergone 401 GR procedures from 1983 to 2018 at a single academic institution. All patients were diagnosed with medically refractory MS-TN (182 procedures) or ITN (219 procedures). The primary outcome measures of interest were immediate pain relief and time to pain recurrence following initial and repeat GR procedures. Secondary outcomes included medication usage and presence of periprocedural hypesthesia. The initial pain-free response rate was similar between groups (p = 0.726): MS-TN initial GR 89.6%; MS-TN repeat GR 91.9%; ITN initial GR 89.6%; ITN repeat GR 87.0%. The median time to recurrence after initial GR was similar between MS-TN (2.7 ± 1.3 years) and ITN (2.1 ± 0.6 years) patients (p = 0.87). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the time to recurrence after repeat GR between MS-TN (2.3 ± 0.5 years) and ITN patients (1.2 ± 0.2 years; p < 0.05). The presence of periprocedural hypesthesia was highly predictive of pain-free survival (p < 0.01). Patients with MS-TN achieve meaningful pain relief following GR, with an efficacy comparable to that following GR in patients with ITN. Initial and subsequent GR procedures are equally efficacious.

Prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia in Indian population visiting a higher dental care center in North India.

Objectives:The present study aims to determine the incidence and prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in study population and difference in prevalence of TN in urban and rural population.Materials and Methods:This retrospective study includes 1215 study participants with typical idiopathic TN. Data regarding the age of onset, gender, site of involvement, and clinical presentations were retrieved from clinical records of patients reported from January 2011 to January 2018.Results:The study population consists of 1215 study participants aged between 21 and 87 years, with a mean age of 50.62 ± 15.872 years. The mandibular nerve is involved in most of the cases (56.9%), followed by maxillary nerve (42%). The right side of the face (57.1%) is more involved than the left side (38.8%). TN was more prevalent (52.4%) in rural population than urban population (47.6%).Conclusion:TN is more common in females than males, the right side of the face is more involved than the left side, and it is more commonly found in rural population than urban population.

Trigeminal Neuralgia Commonly Precedes the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a well-recognized cause of facial pain in the general population, and multiple sclerosis (MS) accounts for some of these cases. However, the prevalence of TN in MS is poorly understood. We investigated the prevalence of TN and how often TN is the initial presentation of MS in a large MS cohort. In 2009, we surveyed participants in the North America Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis Registry regarding TN, including date of onset and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments used. We estimated the frequency of TN and the frequency with which TN preceded the diagnosis of MS. We compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of participants who reported TN with those of participants who did not using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Among 8590 eligible survey respondents, the prevalence of TN was 830 (9.7%). Of these respondents, 588 reported the year when TN was diagnosed. The diagnosis of TN preceded that of MS in 88 respondents (15.0%), and the mean ± SD age at diagnosis of TN was 45.3 ± 11.0 years. The odds of reporting TN were higher in women and those with greater disability and longer disease duration. Pharmacologic treatments were used by 88.3% of respondents; 9.7% underwent surgical interventions. In MS, TN occurs frequently and precedes the diagnosis of MS in 15.0% of individuals. Given the frequency of TN in MS, further epidemiological studies and clinical trials to identify effective pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for TN in MS are warranted.

P006 - Association between trigeminal neuralgia and multiple sclerosis: A population-based study

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuro-inflammatory disease of central nervous system (CNS) which is characterized by variable evolution and different clinical manifestations. Although pain is one of the most common problems of MS patients, the presence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in a patient's life-span is rare. Methods In a retrospective study, we investigated the presence of TN amongst MS patients inspecting total Isfahan multiple sclerosis (TIMs) records which were registered in Isfahan Multiple Sclerosis Society (IMMS) from April 2003 until July 2014. Results We could find 20 cases with diagnosis of both TN and MS, suggesting a significant higher prevalence of TN among MS patients (0.4%) in comparison with general population (0.04%) (P?0.05). Conclusions Our results showed a significant association between these two disorders supporting previous hypothesis based on the role of MS in etiology of TN. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuro-inflammatory disease of central nervous system (CNS) which is characterized by variable evolution and different clinical manifestations. Although pain is one of the most common problems of MS patients, the presence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in a patient's life-span is rare. In a retrospective study, we investigated the presence of TN amongst MS patients inspecting total Isfahan multiple sclerosis (TIMs) records which were registered in Isfahan Multiple Sclerosis Society (IMMS) from April 2003 until July 2014. We could find 20 cases with diagnosis of both TN and MS, suggesting a significant higher prevalence of TN among MS patients (0.4%) in comparison with general population (0.04%) (P?0.05). Our results showed a significant association between these two disorders supporting previous hypothesis based on the role of MS in etiology of TN.

Prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia and persistent idiopathic facial pain: A population-based study

To estimate the lifetime prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) in a population-based sample in Germany. A total of 3336 responders of 6000 contacted inhabitants of the city of Essen in Germany were screened using a self-assessment questionnaire. 327 individuals, who reported recurrent facial pain and randomly selected 150 (5% of 3009) screening negative subjects, received a phone interview by one of six neurologists and if necessary a face-to-face examination. Those with suspected TN or PIFP following the phone interview underwent neurological examination by two neurologists who were unaware of the presumed diagnosis. A random group of 25 (10% of 247) phone interview negative subjects was examined face-to-face. All suspected cases of PIFP received otorhinolaryngological examination and diagnostic cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In TN patients the number of vessel-nerve contacts was determined by thin-slice cranial MRI. Lifetime prevalence of TN was estimated to be 0.3% [10 of 3336; 95% CI 0.1-0.5%], of PIFP 0.03% [1 of 3336; 95% CI < 0.08%]. Thin-slice cranial MRI detected five vessel-nerve contacts and no symptomatic lesions in the 10 TN patients. This large population-based study revealed that TN and PIFP are rare facial pain disorders.

Trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis patients: a clinical comparison of trigeminal neuralgia in patients with and without underlying multiple sclerosis

Background: The prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is higher in multiple sclerosis (MS) as compared in the general population. Clinical and treatment responses of MS patients compared with non-MS patients are in debate. Objective: To evaluate clinical differences in trigeminal pain presentation and pharmacological treatment response in patients with and without underlying MS. Material and methods: A retrospective study of 10 MS patients that had TN as a first symptom or in the MS course (from the total 545 MS patients). Data regarding MS (sex, age at MS onset, type, symptomatology, number and site of lesions on brain MRI, treatment) and TN (clinical characteristics of facial pain, treatment), period from TN as a clinically isolated syndrome to defined MS or period from MS onset to TN beginning were analyzed. Clinical, demographical and treatment response were compared with corresponding data of 10 consecutive patients hospitalized for idiopathic TN. Results: The only difference between MS and non-MS patients was the age of onset of TN (41.8 ±6.12 in MS vs 52.7±16.5 in non –MS patients, p=0.07, unpaired Student’s t-test). There are no differences in trigeminal pain characteristics between MS and non-MS patients. Conclusions: TN among MS patients has an onset at younger age but share the same pain characteristics and treatment responds with TN in the general population. TN in MS has multiple mechanisms of aetiopathogenesis and surgical treatment must be held in mind in selected cases.

A preliminary study into the dental health status of multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology involving the central nervous system. Since MS affects the whole body, orofacial aspects of the disease must be expected, particularly since loss of muscular coordination may result in a diminished ability to maintain oral hygiene. This preliminary study examined the dental health status of 22 volunteer MS patients. A questionnaire collected data regarding medical and dental histories and socio-demographic information. Extra- and intra-oral examinations were carried out on all subjects to determine the particular dental treatment needs of this special group. The DMFT and CPITN scores for this group did not indicate that MS patients were more susceptible to dental caries or periodontal disease. However, the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia and symptoms of TMJ dysfunction in the group studied indicated that these conditions may be manifest in MS patients and warrant further investigations.