Dental chair apoplexy

Abstract

We have reported two cases of intracranial bleeding shortly after a dental procedure. We argue that administration of hypochlorite in gum debridement, application of dental cement, or mechanical stimulation of the alveolar branches of the trigeminal nerve at the pulp may not only result in acute systemic hypertension, but also in the release of vasodilatory neurotransmitters. The combination of a local increase in intracerebral blood flow and simultaneously developing systemic hypertension in an occasional patient may lead to intracranial hemorrhage.