Association between medication-induced xerostomia and orofacial pain: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Xerostomia (or oral dryness) is most commonly caused by medications that affect saliva secretion, and is often accompanied by symptoms of orofacial pain. Medication-induced xerostomia may or may not be associated with objectively demonstrable hyposalivation. The present study attempted to systematically identify an association between medication-induced xerostomia and orofacial pain. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A systematic search was conducted using the following databases: WoS, PubMed, SCOPUS, and MEDLINE. The search terms used were: xerostomia OR "dry mouth" AND medication AND ("oral pain" OR "orofacial pain" OR "craniofacial pain" OR "burning mouth" OR "glossodynia") NOT Sjögren's NOT cancer. Inclusion criteria were medication-induced xerostomia and reported symptoms of orofacial pain. Four researchers performed the selection process and quality assessment and two researchers conducted data extraction. RESULTS: Seven studies with a total of 1,029 patients were included. These studies were conducted between 2009 and 2022 and consisted of cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, and one randomized crossover trial. The studies consisted of a total of 1,029 participants. All studies included male and female participants whose mean ages ranged from 43 to 100 years. CONCLUSIONS: A positive association was found between medication-induced xerostomia and orofacial pain. No associations were found between salivary flow measurements (hyposalivation) and medication use. Future research should focus on saliva flow measurements, standardized assessment of medication-induced xerostomia, as well as the inclusion of accompanying orofacial pain diagnosis in the medical history to allow for higher level of evidence in establishing reliable predictors of medication-induced oral health damage to facilitate clinical prevention and management.

Pathophysiology of Post-Traumatic Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain.

Trigeminal nerve injury is one of the causes of chronic orofacial pain. Patients suffering from this condition have a significantly reduced quality of life. The currently available management modalities are associated with limited success. This article reviews some of the common causes and clinical features associated with post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathic pain (PTNP). A cascade of events in the peripheral and central nervous system function is involved in the pathophysiology of pain following nerve injuries. Central and peripheral processes occur in tandem and may often be co-dependent. Due to the complexity of central mechanisms, only peripheral events contributing to the pathophysiology have been reviewed in this article. Future investigations will hopefully help gain insight into trigeminal-specific events in the pathophysiology of the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain secondary to nerve injury and enable the development of new therapeutic modalities.

Facial pain and trigeminal neuralgia secondary to metastasis: A case report.

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW: Trigeminal neuralgia due to a metastatic lesion is a relatively rare occurrence. These cases pose a diagnostic challenge for the clinician due to a complex clinical presentation. CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors describe the case of a 65-year-old woman with left-sided facial pain and occasional numbness. The patient also reported autonomic features associated with facial pain, facial muscular weakness, and hearing and visual impairment. The patient's history of breast cancer, for which she was receiving treatment for bone metastasis, warranted diagnostic imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging with and without contrast was performed and revealed a possible metastatic lesion. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Unusual clinical features must be identified, and prompt appropriate imaging is instrumental in making at an accurate diagnosis and management plan.

Effects of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) antagonist on neuropathic pain hypersensitivity in rats - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) has been investigated as a potential drug target for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The objective of the study was to systematically identify the effects of MC4R antagonists on hypersensitivity in rat models of neuropathic pain. A systematic search was conducted using the following databases: WoS, PubMed, SCOPUS, and MEDLINE. Inclusion criteria were: rat hypersensitivity induced by models of neuropathic pain with reported effects of MC4R antagonist. Two researchers performed the selection process and data extraction. SYRCLE risk of bias tool was used. Standard mean differences (SMD) were calculated and pooled by meta-analysis using random effect models. Ten articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The results reveal that, in animals exposed to neuropathic pain, administration of MC4R antagonists significantly increased paw withdrawal threshold (SHU9119 SMD = 1.67, 95% CI: [0.91, 2.44], I2  = 0%; HS014 SMD = 2.2, 95% CI: [0.53, 3.87], I2  = 71%) and heat withdrawal latency (HS014 SMD = 3.35, 95% CI: [0.56, 6.14], I2  = 83%) compared to vehicle-treated animals. MC4R antagonists are effective in the alleviation of hypersensitivity in rodent neuropathic pain models. SHU9119 and HS014 antagonists showed the most prominent results. However, further investigation is needed to determine the optimal dose and time of treatment.

Postendodontic pain: a practical approach to diagnosis and management.

OBJECTIVES: Endodontic treatment is a routine procedure performed by general dental practitioners and endodontists on a daily basis. Fortunately, most patients undergoing endodontic therapy show a favorable outcome with uneventful healing. However, some patients develop pain following endodontic therapy. A majority of these patients develop acute, nociceptive pain ("flare-up") that resolves with appropriate treatment and subsequent healing. The dental profession is very adept at successfully managing the acute pain that occurs early following endodontic treatment. A minority of patients, however, develop ongoing pain following root canal therapy, termed chronic if persisting for 3 months or more. The diagnosis and management of chronic postendodontic pain are often challenging. This article aims to review pain following endodontic therapy, ranging from acute to chronic pain and its management, with specific emphasis on chronic pain, its pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic criteria, and management modalities. CONCLUSION: Endodontic treatment rarely leads to chronic neuropathic pain; however, when the nerve injury occurs and results in posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathic pain (PTNP), treatment options are very limited and rarely successful. Therefore, all steps should be taken to avoid nerve injury. Prevention of endodontic treatment related PTNP is crucial and achieved through early recognition, and prompt management.

Orofacial manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a narrative review.

Both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are classified as autoimmune diseases, where the body's own immune response causes it to attack the host tissues, as if the latter were antigens. RA is the most common autoimmune disease that affects joints. The clinical diagnosis of RA is based on the history and examination, integrated with laboratory tests including blood tests on inflammatory markers, serology, and imaging. There are no diagnostic criteria, but there are classification criteria. SLE affects most major organ systems in the body. The diagnosis of SLE relies on the constellation of characteristic symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings in the appropriate clinical context and after excluding other reasonable diagnoses. Epidemiologically, both conditions show a definitive female predilection. The focus of this review article is epidemiology, and the major clinical features with an emphasis on the orofacial manifestations. The relevant clinical points for the dental practitioner area summarized.