Some sore teeth give headaches to dentists

Jean Hamann
When Mr. Mr. Gobeil (fictitious name) decided to consult Professor Jean-Paul Goulet at the Faculty of Dentistry for a mysterious toothache that distressing past four years, his wife had a diagnosis already stopped " This is not a dentist you need, but a psychiatrist. " The verdict was based on Ms. unique character of Mr Malay: they realized that the weekend while the couple spent time together!

Professor Goulet and his colleague Rénald Pérusse see every year more than 500 patients who, like Mr. Gobeil, suffer from sore teeth enigmatic whose cause is beyond the treating dentist. "Between 3 and 5% of the population suffer a day of pain these teeth causing headaches for dentists," says Jean-Paul Goulet, who shared his vast experience in the field with about 200 people who attended the February 4, at the 22nd Scientific Day, Faculty of Dentistry.

"In addition to using the usual tools of investigation, you have to talk the patient, the speaker stressed. It should be asked to specify where the pain comes, when it occurs, which leads to , which reduces and what relief. " In most cases, the replies the dentist on a good track. Thus Professor Goulet learned that the pain Mr. Gobeil teeth occurred an hour or two after the end of the couple practiced together for weeks, namely hiking and skiing. "We were able to reproduce the pain clinic by asking the patient to rinse their mouth alternately with hot water and cold water. This is a case of thermal allodontie triggers delayed "said the specialist. Wearing a mouth guard during outdoor activities put an end to the pain of Mr. Gobeil, thus confirming the diagnosis.

Silent teeth
Other traps faced by dentists, warned the speaker. Thus, some teeth pain radiating to other parts of the head through the common nerve trunks. As long as the patient can identify the epicenter of the pain in a tooth, the dentist has the easy part. "This is not the case with teeth" silent ", teeth that are apparently healthy and asymptomatic, but may project the pain to the neck, ears or temples, sometimes causing headaches and pain head. "

In contrast, some sore teeth may come from muscle problems, articulatory or nervous, even if patients are confident that they can identify exactly which teeth are affected. Canal treatment or extraction of the tooth will not bring any relief in such cases, in addition to causing unnecessary expense and frustration understandable for the patient. "Faced with a poorly localized pain, do not exclude the possibility of a local cause, has accused Jean-Paul Goulet. And before a cause of localized, one should not exclude the possibility of a remote cause. In some cases it may even include heart problems and tumors. "