Vietnamese woman has 6 teeth removed only to find they had nothing to do with jaw pains

A woman in Saigon had six of her teeth removed by a dentist around two weeks ago after feeling electrifying pains on the right half of her face. But to her dismay, the procedure did not help, and she was later told by doctors that there had been nothing wrong with her teeth.

Doctors at the Ho Chi Minh City University Medical Center, one of the best-known public hospitals in the city, said she has been suffering from a trapped nerve, so they surgery to separate blood vessels that were putting pressure on the trigeminal nerve.

The woman is examined at the University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress

Le Viet Thang, a neurologist at the hospital, said the woman had been experiencing pain when she spoke or chewed, and could only drink milk through a straw.

The 41-year-old woman, identified only as Huyen, was released after three days, pain-free.

Thang said the condition is common and usually found among women over the age of 40.

Two years ago, local media also reported the story of a man from the central province of Binh Dinh who suffered the same condition and had all but three of his teeth removed.

The man, now 51, only decided to see a doctor after spending 20 years visiting a dentist to have his teeth pulled whenever he was in pain.

He also received surgery to release the nerve.

Doctors said the procedure is complicated because the nerve is connected to the brain and a mistake can kill the patient or leave them in a vegetative state.