ABSTRACT
We report a case that illustrates how chronic migraine headaches and multiple dental pathologies caused severe and long-standing cranial pain that affected the quality of life of a man for more than 35 years. His case was investigated at several settings including the neurology outpatient clinic of the hospital without a definitive diagnosis or resolution. After investigations, multiple oral pathologies including two occult dental abscesses were diagnosed. Once both affected teeth and associated abscesses were surgically removed, with subsequent antibiotic therapy the headaches resolved.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Headache/diagnosis , Migraine Disorders/diagnosis , Periapical Abscess/diagnosis , Quality of Life/psychology , Toothache/diagnosis , Headache/etiology , Headache/physiopathology , Headache/psychology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Migraine Disorders/etiology , Migraine Disorders/physiopathology , Migraine Disorders/psychology , Oral Health , Periapical Abscess/complications , Periapical Abscess/physiopathology , Periapical Abscess/psychology , Radiography, Dental , Time Factors , Tooth Extraction , Toothache/complications , Toothache/physiopathology , Toothache/psychology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Dentoalveolar abscess is a serious complication that may arise from untreated dental caries, periodontal disease, pericoronitis and facial fractures. The objective of study was to ascertain the dental visit pattern and awareness of dental treatment among patients attending a secondary oral health facility in Benin-City with dentoalveolar abscess. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 patients that presented with dentoalveolar abscess in the Dental Clinic of Central Hospital between September, 2012 and July, 2013 constituted the study population. Data was collected using unstructured in-depth interview, following a topic guide. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients, 29 (58%) were females, while 21 (42%) were males. Age range was between 3-67 years and the educational status of the patients ranged from illiterate to graduates of tertiary institution. Time interval between onset of pain and presentation of swelling was 1 day to 10 years. Forty-five patients (90%) have heard of dentists. A total of 27 (60%) reported teeth extraction as the only treatment carried out by dentists, 12 (27%) extraction/restoration replacement/treatment and 5 (13%) treatment only. Thirty-seven patients (74%) were first time clinic attendees, 7 (14%) were second time clinic attendees and 6 (12%) were three times and more clinic attendees. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that patients attending secondary oral health facility with dentoalveolar abscess were dominantly first time dental clinic attendees and exhibited low awareness of treatments offered by dentists. There is need to further investigate the barriers to preventive visits and to improve of awareness of dental treatment among previous dental clinic attendees.
Subject(s)
Attitude to Health , Dental Care/psychology , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Periapical Abscess/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Delayed Diagnosis , Dental Restoration, Permanent , Dentists , Educational Status , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Periapical Abscess/diagnosis , Tooth Extraction , Young AdultABSTRACT
The aim of the present investigation was to assess the impact of dental caries prevalence and the consequences of untreated cavitated dentine lesions on quality of life of 6- and 7-year-old Brazilian children. A total of 826 schoolchildren were assessed using ICDAS and pufa (to score consequences of dental caries on soft tissues) indices. History of extraction and toothache was recorded. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS). A multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between the prevalence of dentine carious lesions, pufa, history of extraction and toothache with the B-ECOHIS scores. A total of 587 questionnaires were analyzed. The prevalence of cavitated dentine lesions and pufa was 74.8 and 26.2%, respectively. Some 21.8% of children reported toothache and 9.2% had had at least one tooth extraction. The chance (OR) for children with cavitated dentine lesions, pufa ≥1, history of extraction and toothache of having higher B-ECOHIS scores than those not affected was 1.90 (95% CI: 1.18-3.06), 6.26 (95% CI: 3.63-10.83), 6.87 (95% CI: 2.75-17.16) and 3.68 (95% CI: 2.12-6.39), respectively. Children's quality of life was negatively influenced by untreated cavitated dentine lesions and their consequences.
