electric toothbrush, and Trigeminal Neuralgia

[MSbeGone]

hello everyone, does anyone use an electric toothbrush and they also have trigeminal neuralgia?, I stopped using my electric toothbrush in fear of the pressure causing/triggering the pain. Now I feel as though my teeth are not as clean.

[erash]

I’d read the electric tooth brush can exacerbate TN.

[MSbeGone in reply to erash]

Thanks

[goatgal]

My first long ago Sonic Care toothbrush did not trigger my TN. It finally quit; when I got around to replacing it, the new model provoked unpleasant sensations that I feared would set off the TN. I use it gingerly and very carefully once or twice a week because it does do a good job but the energy pulses set the nerves to buzzing and tingling if I let any part of it touch soft tissue.

[MSbeGone in reply to goatgal]

Thank you, I feel that that’s a good idea to use it once or twice a week.

[Misty2024]

Oh my gosh! Did you say trigeminal pain? I am sitting here trying to find what can help my trigeminal pain! Please respond to me. I hurt terribly!

[MSbeGone in reply to Misty2024]

I have to use a mouthguard and that helps tremendously. For medicine I take carbamazepine and gabapentin. When I feel the pain coming on, I do not tense up. I try my best to relax and breathe, and that helps some.

[Misty2024 in reply to MSbeGone]

I am taking gabapentin. What is carbamazepine? Should I talk to my neurologist about that one? I am so freaked out and yet you're saying I need to relax and breathe. This is rough...

[MSbeGone in reply to Misty2024]

I know that it is rough, scary and painful. You can definitely talk to your neurologist about carbamazepine, which are pills. I also had a procedure done Precutaneous Radiofrequency procedure which worked. After receiving lidocaine and a couple different nerve blocks that did not work. I also had to take Tylenol #3 which worked but is hard to get because it is an opioid, I was also told to try norco’s.

[stepsforNeeC in reply to Misty2024]

Oh My God, you guys never cease to amaze me with how much we help each other!!!! Remember my post about maybe a month ago? I said I feel like something is stabbing me in my ears??? Regular PCP checked my ears, said they were fine! But I still wear my retainer at night from having “Adult Braces “ -I bet that’s it!!!!! I also had my teeth cleaned and the needle I believe triggered pain.

[MSbeGone in reply to stepsforNeeC]

Before Trigeminal neuralgia I was repeatedly told that my ears were fine, then finally I was referred to an ear nose and throat Doctor Who diagnosed me with TMJ and that is why I wear a mouthguard which is for me grinding my teeth at night when I’m sleep. After the TN episodes, I began googling things and found TN through descriptions before going to an emergency room after scaring my family who diagnosed me with trigeminal neuralgia. We have to help each other, this group is how I found out that Tylenol #3 will help with my pain when other medication did not help at all..

[bxrmom]

I wonder if a different type of electric toothbrush would be better? I have not experience with Trigeminal Neuralgia. I use a battery operated Oral B tooth brush:

walmart.com/ip/Oral-B-Compl...

There is this other Oral B batter toothbrush with a smaller toothbrush head:

walmart.com/ip/Oral-B-Revol...

Hope you are able to find something that works better for you that doesn't cause pain. Please keep us updated.

[MSbeGone in reply to bxrmom]

Thank you, I am thinking of the pressure that the electric toothbrush puts on the gums and teeth. I am so scared to try my toothbrush because the pain from the trigeminal neuralgia is too painful

[Tazmanian]

I use an electric toothbrush but don't have TN you might want to try a water pick good luck

[MSbeGone]

thank you. I never thought of a water pic

[Sagesewer]

Hello,

I have Trigeminal Neuralgia and was using an electric toothbrush. I had and have the same fear. What works for me is a soft toothbrush, Crest toothpaste either with Scope or some kind of whitening feature in it, Smile T dental floss ( for those with hand dexterity issues, these are a God send), Act Enamel alcohol free. I also take Carbamazine. This all works for me.

My problem is finding a dentist who can accommodate my power wheelchair in the exam and cleaning room.

[Misty2024 in reply to Sagesewer]

The Carbamazine makes me dizzy but it is working. I would say a few more days and I hope I can quit.

[Cwright170994 in reply to Misty2024]

I'm an ex-user of carbamazepine, all because I was prescribed it when I was admitted to hospital in an emergency (stays epilipticus), and the doctors there didn't know that it negatively interacts with the lamotrigine I was already on! It took a country-wide shortage of it, my neurologist to question why I was on it, and look into the medication and drugs it interacts with to get me off it. Would have saved me from a LOT of status epilipticus events between then and 2023 🙄

[MSbeGone in reply to Cwright170994]

I am happy for you that they recognized the possible negative interactions with your other medication.

[Sagesewer in reply to Misty2024]

I’m not saying I jinxed myself BUT 2 nights ago I was woken up out of a dead sleep by getting zapped a few times.😡🤬

I immediately took another pill.

Tonight I notice at 5:20pm I felt like something was going to happen. I took my 6 pm pill early . I decided that I would go back to my 3 pill a day spaced 8 hours apart. My regular neurologist told me months ago that I could if this happened.

After that midnight attack happened I called my TN neurologist and was told he’s “seeing patients “,but would call me ASAP. I’m still waiting!!! I called again and left another message.

Ian seriously considering some kind of surgery to either kill the nerve or consider whatever else will permanently stop this insanely painful condition.

I know it’s not common to get zapped when you’re sleeping as it is for you to experience it on the left side of your face. I read this somewhere in a medical report.

I don’t sleep well and or much at all so imagine when this happened how mad I was!

[Cwright170994 in reply to Sagesewer]

My very first type of seizure was simple partial temporal lobe seizures, that would wake me up at night with a strong sense of deja vous! I now have generalised seizures, and I miss only having those simple ones 😬 it was found that I have seizures when I've not had enough good sleep, which is really bad for a young woman who is in schooling and worked long hours in the evenings 😒

[MSbeGone in reply to Cwright170994]

🤗 🤗🤗

[Sagesewer in reply to Cwright170994]

I’m so sorry. I wonder if I’m ion for that. I’ve got a mother and sister that are pressuring me into visiting nursing homes. Great deal of stress, heart palpitations shortness of breathe. At doctor’s office right now. If I don’t answer within a few days, something is wrong. Some people know here. Saw a neighbor who’s a former cop, gave him my number and told him to call be after 12pm. I’d explain.sorry to you for panic I’ve never had this kind of stress put on me before.

[Cwright170994 in reply to Sagesewer]

Don't panic, and please, please don't do anything that would harm you ❤🙏 I know it's easy for me to say, but you will regret it if that were to happen 😢 I know it may not sound the same, but a few years ago, I felt useless and it would have been better for my husband if I wasn't here. The reason why I'm still here was thinking of my husband coming home from work and seeing our dog crying as she led by my body 😭 I did get counselling. I did talk to my husband about it. I even talked to my best friend about it! It's good how you've got a former police officer as a neighbour ❤ I'd give you a hug emoji if this phone had one.

[Sagesewer in reply to Cwright170994]

thanks for your concern🤗🤗🤗❤️🙏the former cop neighbor didn’t call me like I asked. He probably thinks I lost my mind! Since I lost, my voice was asking him to take my number call me after 12. Just as well I went to the doctor As it turned out, my blood pressure was 150 for 100. He told me was the to take one bp med in morning and one at night.😳😖

I will pray more and try to calm down. I’ll be determined to get away from the situation and people who are causing me the stress.

[Cwright170994 in reply to Sagesewer]

Holy shit! 😱 no wonder your bp is that high with all the crappy people around you! I hope you'll see your bp drop quick being on those meds 🙏

[MSbeGone in reply to Sagesewer]

High blood pressure lay on your left side to help bring it down

[MSbeGone]

Thank you, and I do have hand dexterity issues so I appreciate the rundown

[Blanketttime1]

stabbing face pain😡 i hate it!! when i first switched to an electric toothbrush, i remember feeling like my whole head was moving, vibrating. dunno, it's hard to explain. it was an odd sensation. my mum and my sister don't feel that way, so i figured it was just another of my issues, lol. however, now i'm used to it and it hasn't set off the trigeminal neuralgia.