Have Trigeminal Neuralgia & Need A Root Canal? It Can Be Done!
Trigeminal neuralgia is an extremely painful condition that affects the face. The pain of this condition can be so intense that it is called the suicide disease. The pain can be triggered by teeth-brushing, eating, talking or any light touch to the face. People who have this condition are extremely cautious and avoid triggering their pain at all costs.
If you have this condition, you may have avoided the dentist for a long time. However, when you have an abscessed tooth, there's no denying the need to see a dentist. You would likely need a root canal. Fortunately, there are a few things that your dentist can do to help reduce the risk of triggering the pain from your trigeminal neuralgia.
Preemptive Anesthesia
Inform your dentist that you have trigeminal neuralgia. Due to the location of the nerves that are affected by this condition, in the cheek and face, dentists are familiar with this condition. Your dentist will likely recommend that you have preemptive anesthesia prior to receiving any type of dental work, especially treatments such as root canals.
Increased Medication
While root canals and other dental treatments are usually done on an emergency basis, it will be a good idea to speak with your neurosurgeon or the medical professional who writes your prescriptions to control your trigeminal neuralgia. Ask him or her if your pain management medication can be increased before you undergo dental treatments.
Of course, you'll need to be careful to not take any medication that could contraindicate with the anesthesia your dentist will need to use. For this reason, ask your neurosurgeon to speak with your dentist before your appointment so you have enough time to pick up the new medication and adjust to it. When you pick up the medication from the pharmacy, ask the pharmacist for information about side effects and how the medication and anesthesia will make you feel.
Assistance with Personal Care
Due to the anesthesia and medication changes, it will be a good idea for you to have a family member or trusted friend drive you home from your appointment and take care of you while you recover. During recovery from your root canal, you will want to continue eating and drinking as normal, which may be soft food or liquid based on your dietary needs for your trigeminal neuralgia.
However, if you typically use a straw to drink liquids, you'll need to be careful with how much suction you use to draw the liquid into your mouth. Too much suction could cause pain at the location of your root canal, which may trigger your trigeminal neuralgia pain.
For more information, contact Rick Chavez DDS or a similar dental professional.
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