title: Odontalgia in vascular orofacial pain.
abstract: A case of episodic, spontaneous odontalgia, aggravated by ingestion of cold food, with no apparent dental pathology is presented. Attempts at alleviating the pain by means of root canal treatment had failed in previous, similar episodes, and pain and pulpal hyperalgesia had shifted to other locations. Primary vascular orofacial pain was diagnosed and effective control obtained by prophylactic treatment with propranolol, a beta-adrenergic blocker. A prophylactic attempt with nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, failed to alleviate the pain. This diagnostic entity and possible therapeutic approaches are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine and Oral Radiology, Hebrew University, Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Czerninsky
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benoliel
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sharav
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017704:Baroreflex; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D008963:Molar; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D014098:Toothache / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D011433:Propranolol