Exploring the World of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Radiology
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology is a specialized field in dentistry and pathology that focuses on understanding, identifying, and treating diseases that impact the oral and maxillofacial region. It involves investigating the reasons behind these diseases, how they...
Oral Medicine Specialists for Complex Health Conditions
Oral medicine was recently acknowledged as the 11th ADA-recognized specialty in dentistry. The American Academy of Oral Medicine defines oral medicine as the specialty of dentistry responsible for the oral health care of medically complex patients and for diagnosing...
Orofacial Pain Specialists and Solutions
Orofacial pain specialists are dentists who diagnose and treat orofacial pain disorders. Orofacial Pain (OFP) is the latest specialty of dentistry recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards. In 2020, this...
Breaking Down Barriers: Dentists’ Challenges in Treating Older Adults
With the rapidly increasing number of older adults in the U.S., dentists must question if we are adequately prepared to accommodate these older adults within our practices. Increasing comorbidities and frailty associated with aging for many older adults make it...
A Closer Look at MRONJ: Medications, Risks, and Dental Management
Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) occurs when there is damage to the bone that interrupts the nutrient supply or because of a medical condition that reduces bone health (Sedghizadeh, 2009). When the ONJ is associated with medications, it will be referred to as...
HPV Uncovered: Vaccination, Oral Lesions, and Comprehensive Care
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is an infectious disease that can cause lesions in the genital and oropharyngeal areas. It is considered the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. Besides being spread horizontally between individuals,...
White Oral Lesions That Need Your Attention
White lesions, also known as "white patches," in the oral cavity refer to abnormal areas of the oral mucosa that have a white or whitish appearance. They may present as patches or plaques on the soft tissues inside the mouth. White lesions can arise from various...
Blood Lead Levels and the Connection to Chronic Pain
Most know that things like lead pipes and paint in the home can be dangerous. This is because lead gets into our bodies, and it can have a damaging effect on everything from our nervous system to our immune system. Researchers set out to see if having higher blood...
Does Metformin Help With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 37 million Americans have diabetes, with up to 95% of them having type 2 diabetes [1]. Many of them take the prescription drug metformin to help control the condition. Metformin has been found to have...
Unmasking Excessive Facial Sweating
Facial sweat is a natural bodily response that helps regulate body temperature and maintain overall health. However, excessive facial sweating can be a source of concern for many individuals, leading to discomfort, embarrassment, and self-consciousness. Some causes of...
Exploring Carotidynia: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options
In 1927, Fay described a painful condition over the common carotid bifurcation, without any structural abnormality. The condition was described as Fay’s Syndrome or Idiopathic Carotidynia. The pain is located in the anterior part of the neck, over the bifurcation of...
Mandibular Advancement Devices for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by upper airway collapse during sleep. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard treatment, but its efficacy is hindered by low compliance. Oral appliances, specifically...
Unraveling Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Review of Diagnosis and Treatments
Burning mouth syndrome [BMS] is a chronic and challenging orofacial pain syndrome characterized by a persistent burning sensation in the oral mucosa, in the absence of specific oral lesions. It predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly women, often associated with...
Adolescents With Chronic Pain May Benefit From Peer Support Group
When people experience chronic pain it can make them feel isolated. They think others don't understand, and they are constantly having to try and explain the situation. Many adolescents who experience chronic pain feel like this, longing to interact with others their...
Can Physiotherapy Help Music Students With Chronic Pain?
Most people enjoy listening to music. Little do they know that what brings them comfort often leads to chronic pain for the musician who created it. Musicians experiencing chronic pain is common, which led researchers to put physiotherapy to the test to see if it...
Considering Virtual Reality as a Chronic Pain Tool
We are learning more about virtual reality (VR) in various areas of our lives, and now it's being considered for help with addressing pain. Those who suffer from chronic pain need all the tools they can get to try and find relief. The more tools they can turn to, the...
Pain Management is Different for People With a Certain Hair Color
It's estimated that natural redheads make up around 2% of the world's population. When many people think of those with natural red hair, they picture someone who is quick-tempered and fiery in personality. What they may not realize is that their hair color plays a...
Circadian Rhythms: When the Pain Comes at the Same Time
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. Biological clocks are organisms’ natural...
Understanding the Role of Alpha Receptors in Pain Management
α1-adrenergic alpha receptors are G-Protein Coupled Receptors that are involved in neurotransmission and regulate the sympathetic nervous system through binding and activating the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, and the neurohormone, epinephrine. This receptor plays...
Social Cognitive Theory: Understanding its Role in Education
The Community Oral Health (COH) Program introduces students to the underlying foundations for selecting methods and strategies for implementing health education programs; methods selectedby health clinicians should be grounded in behavior change theory. The health...
Can Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) Look Like Oral Epithelial Dysplasia?
Oral lichen planus is an immune-mediated disease with unknown etiology. Its clinical presentation waxes and wanes, and its severity goes from symptomatic oral erosions with erythema to asymptomatic white striations. The locations of these clinical signs are more...
Indomethacin Responsive Headaches
The indomethacin-responsive headache disorders consist of a group of conditions with a particularly good response to indomethacin. Two of the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias are included, which are hemicrania continua and paroxysmal hemicrania. Other conditions are...
Should We Focus on Vulnerable Populations or Everyone?
Vulnerable populations are those at higher than average risk of disease and bad disease outcomes directly or through the healthcare system. (Riegelman, 2019). In the Community Oral Health COH Program, consideration for the needs of vulnerable populations is a focus of...
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia and How is It Treated?
Trigeminal Neuralgia is an uncommon disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of lancinating pain in the trigeminal nerve distribution. Typically, brief attacks are triggered by talking, chewing, teeth brushing, shaving, a light touch, or even a cool...
