Van Persie's teething problems are no laughing matter

Robin Van Persie's frequent muscle injuries have been linked to his molars. He is to undergo surgery to remove his wisdom teeth.

So is there any wisdom in the link between Van Persie's teeth and his nagging muscle injuries or is it just a bunch of yucks.

Actually there maybe. Being in the field of neurosciences, I can tell you that there is evidence of neuroanatomical connections between the trigeminal nerve which is primarily responsible for sensation in the face and the motor functions of chewing, biting, and swallowing and brain areas which control body posture and muscle tone. Parts of the trigeminal nerve receive sensory and proprioceptive information from the teeth, specifically the mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal nerve.

In vertebrates this "nucleus" which is actually a bundle of sensory nerves sends out sensory connections to the parts of the cerebellum and a structure called the superior colliculus, which is responsible for eye gaze stabilization (it allows us to rapidly process changing visual information) and postural adjustments. The cerebellum is the brain center that co-ordinates and controls body posture and movements by using information gathered from various parts of the body and relaying it to the cerebral cortex which is finally responsible for the muscles moving the limbs. We make accurate reaching movements to a glass of water and drink from it without spilling a drop with an intact cerebellum.

There are studies that show that dental occlusion (e.g., an overbite/ underbite) can cause problems with eye gaze stabilization and postural control. Similarly, Trigeminal anesthesia causes imprecision of postural control and change in body posture.

We also know that the human body is structured as a composite of mutually interdependent anatomical linkages. Acupuncture and massage therapists like to use myofascial chains, i.e., intimate linkages between groups of muscles running longitudinally in the body, connected to each other through fascia, the supporting structure that sheath muscles and bones. The myofascial chains act in synergy.Their function is to distribute tension in response to mechanical stress or pain. It could explain why pain from chewing and swallowing disorders due to dental occlusion, wisdom tooth impaction, and TMD (Temporo-mandibular dysfunction) can affect muscles in other parts of the body.