Prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia among dental patients - An institutional study

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic condition which produces severe pain involving a part of the face. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia among dental patients visiting a dental institution. This retrospective study included patients who were diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia from July 2019 to March 2020 in a dental hospital. The digital case records of all patients were retrieved and details were recorded, which included the clinical, radiographic examination and treatment undergone by the patients. Variables such as age, gender, site of involvement were also retrieved from the case records. Data were tabulated and statistically analysed using IBM SPSS version 23.0 and results obtained. P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. In the present study, out of 28 patients, males (53.6%) were more affected by trigeminal neuralgia than females (46.4%) with a higher prevalence on the right side (57.1%). Quadrant I (25%) and combination of quadrant II and quadrant III (25%) were most commonly involved by this condition. No statistically significant association was found between age and quadrant affected; gender and quadrant affected. (p>0.05). It can be concluded from our study that males were more affected with trigeminal neuralgia, the majority involving the right side of the face and seen commonly among the elderly age group. Dentists must be aware of the clinical features of trigeminal neuralgia for accurate diagnosis and early initiation of prompt treatment to avoid untoward complications.