Epileptic Seizures Sparked By Tooth Brushing

New Scientist ^ | 3-6-2007 | Rachel Nowak

[blam]

Epileptic seizures sparked by tooth brushing

09:00 06 March 2007
NewScientist.com news service
Rachel Nowak

“Brushing your teeth is very rhythmic. Our idea is that it causes a rhythmic over-activity in the brain, which feeds back on itself – similar to the effect of strobe lighting on people with photosensitive epilepsy,” says neurologist Wendyl D’Souza of St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, one of the team reporting the cases.

Epilepsy occurs when nerve cells in an area of the brain fire more rapidly than usual and in synchrony with one another. This causes seizures that range from “grand mal” seizures – the old term for extreme convulsions and loss of consciousness – to short bouts of staring that may wrongly be blamed on lack of concentration.

Seizures bought on by a benign stimulus such as tooth brushing, reading or strobe lighting – called “reflex” seizures – are rare, D’Souza notes.

Excessive salivation

Each of the patients in the new study had been diagnosed with epilepsy, and had suffered full-blown convulsive seizures. The tooth-brushing seizures were smaller and included jerking of the mouth, eyes, and face; tongue cramping; and excessive salivation, lasting for up to 90 seconds.

[Moonman62]

Mary Hart causes me to have seizures.

[scooter2]

My Sonicare makes me feel wierd!

[blam]

I remember some years ago that a large number of Japanese kids went into an epileptic seizure after watching some sequence of flashing lights on a popular cartoon program in Japan.

I believe the Japanese government passed some legislation outlawing certain sequence of flashing lights in TV programming as a consequence of those kids going into seizures.

Strange.

[blam]

Japanese cartoon triggers seizures in hundreds of children

"TOKYO (CNN) -- The bright flashing lights of a popular TV cartoon became a serious matter Tuesday evening, when they triggered seizures in hundreds of Japanese children."

"In a national survey, the Tokyo fire department found that at least 618 children had suffered convulsions, vomiting, irritated eyes, and other symptoms after watching "Pokemon."

[reagan_fanatic]

I bought one of those sonic toothbrushes a couple of months ago - it felt like I was drilling a hole into my teeth.

I dumped it and went back to the old battery-operated reciprocating one I was using before.

[relictele]

Mary Hart causes me to have seizures.

Yes but does it involve rhythmic activity?

[massgopguy]

Try watching a Duke home basketball game on TV.

[Fierce Allegiance]

"In a national survey, the Tokyo fire department found that at least 618 children had suffered convulsions, vomiting, irritated eyes, and other symptoms after watching "Pokemon."

I'll bet I'd suffer similar symptoms if I ever had to watch it.

[bcsco]

Each of the patients in the new study had been diagnosed with epilepsy, and had suffered full-blown convulsive seizures. The tooth-brushing seizures were smaller and included jerking of the mouth, eyes, and face; tongue cramping; and excessive salivation, lasting for up to 90 seconds.

So let's see, if one is prone to epileptic seizures to begin with then one may be susceptible to less serious seizures through tooth brushing? Thus, I'd infer from this that if one is not epileptic, then one need not be concerned.

The article never addresses this.

[b4its2late]

Brushing makes me want to spit......

[Cicero]

I have a cousin who can't eat dinner by candlelight because it has this effect on him.

And although I've never had a seizure, I find that when I'm driving a car and the sunlight flickers through the trees on one side, it makes me feel uncomfortable until I put the visor down to block it.

[Abathar]

During a neurological exam I had an epilepsy test, they put these goggles on me and super bright lights flashed for about 30 seconds while your eyes were shut. After about 10 seconds I was fighting ripping the things off my eyes, it drove me batty. I'm not epileptic, but I imagine anyone who was would start flopping like a fish during that little adventure.

[LIConFem]

Avalanche of law suits against dentists to follow...

[ElkGroveDan]

So are they suggesting that epilepsy is rare in Britain?

[Fawn]

You read my mind...lol

[blam]

No-one in my family has ever been able to go to the amusement park and ride the rides. We all get very sick on our stomachs. I can get that way just watching them swirl around and certain TV commercials are unwatchable.

[bcsco]

I've had times when I've walked into certain very large businesses (such as a super Wal-Mart) where I've had what I call 'spacial' problems. I become disoriented and somewhat dizzy. It's happened several times and for awhile I refused to go into such buildings. Lately (in the last couple years) the problem has gone away. I don't know why it came, nor do I know what corrected it.

Oh, well.

[jdm]

Also inducing seizures... when someone pulls a practical joke and tapes a huge Helen Thomas pic to your bathroom mirror. Imagine the shock as you flip on the light at 5AM and see this...

C'mon, this has happened to everyone at least once, right? :O)

[GunnyHartman]

I don't know about flashing lights, but my Dad would have a seizure 100% of the time the morning after getting hammered and fighting with my Mom because of it.

Us kids would be standing by with a pillow (to keep his head from bashing repeatedly into the floor), and a hand towel wrapped butter knife (to place between his teeth to keep him from biting his tongue off).

Grand Mal seizures are one of the scariest things to witness in my lifetime, really creepy.