Bell's palsy following primary tooth extraction. A case report.

Bell's palsy is characterized by acute peripheral facial nerve paralysis. Unilateral paralysis of CN 7 is reported in 20 to 30 people out of 100,000 in the general population. It affects individuals of all ages. Most cases are idiopathic, while a few are identified as resulting from infectious or non-infectious causes. The association between herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and Bell's palsy has been considered since the 1970s. Few cases have been reported after tooth extraction.