Is Acupuncture an Excellent Option to Help with Chronic Neck Pain?
We as a society may crack jokes about certain things being a pain in the neck, but chronic neck pain is no laughing matter for those who have it. The ongoing pain can leave them feeling stiff, with limited range of motion, muscle tightness, headaches, and more. It's...
Why Don’t My Patients Get Better?
8-Minutes Listen As healthcare providers, we often encounter situations where our patients don't improve as expected, despite our best efforts and well-crafted treatment plans. This can be frustrating for both the patient and the practitioner. While it's natural to...
Nutrition and Diet in Older Adults: A Key to Healthy Aging
6-Minute Listen As we age, our nutritional needs change, and maintaining a balanced diet becomes increasingly important for overall health and well-being. Recent research has shed light on the crucial role of nutrition in healthy aging, highlighting specific dietary...
Role of Fluoride in Dental Public Health
Have you ever wondered what fluoride is, why your dentist or hygienist recommends it, or why it’s added to tap water in some communities? In this brief blog, we’ll explore these questions. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral known for its...
Over-the-Counter Supplements for Burning Mouth Syndrome
Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is a chronic condition that causes oral burning for more than two hours daily over three months without any evident clinical changes or lesions in the oral mucosa (Figure 1). This burning sensation is usually associated with dry mouth and...
CBD and Hemp Oil to Help with Chronic Pain
Those who live with chronic pain are always looking for a way to find relief. They are often open to new ideas and willing to try promising products. According to the research, one thing they may want to get on their radar is CBD and hemp oil. These products may...
Is Not Getting Enough Sleep Making Chronic Pain Worse?
Most people know that sleep is essential and plays a vital role in our function. While acute sleep deficiency may have a short-term impact, chronic sleep issues can have a more serious outcome, especially for those who suffer from chronic pain. This has led...
Proper Storage for Medications Prescribed for Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Patients
In Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine, many chronic conditions need permanent storage of medications since patients need to take the medicines for months, even for years. The prescription is usually granted once every 8 to 12 weeks when the patient is seen in a...
Can Improving Psychological Factors Help with Chronic Pain from Fibromyalgia?
Millions of people have fibromyalgia, which lowers their quality of life and keeps them from doing many things. Researchers wanted to know if there are psychological issues that influence chronic pain from fibromyalgia, so they put it to the test. They gained some...
Our Smiles, Our Rides, Our Earth: The Eco-Impact of Dental Care
Introduction Have you ever thought about how your mouth can impact the environment? This blog looks at how individual, professional, and organizational responsibilities and policies can impact the only planet we have to live on. Climate change is an escalating crisis...
Does Diet Influence Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain?
Most of us know that eating a healthy diet has many benefits. What we may not be aware of is its impact on our muscles and chronic pain. For those who suffer from chronic musculoskeletal pain, relief may be found at the end of the fork. The more researchers learn...
The Impact of Environmental Factors such as Air Pollutions on Older Adults
Environmental issues affect us all, but older adults face unique vulnerabilities when it comes to pollution. As the global population ages, understanding how pollution affects older adults becomes increasingly urgent. Let's explore how pollutants impact their health,...
Temporomandibular disorders and systemic diseases
Orofacial pain encompasses a range of conditions affecting the jaw, mouth, face, and associated regions. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a subset of these conditions, characterized by symptoms such as face and neck muscle pain, nerve pain, temporomandibular...
Physical Activity Recommended as Intervention for Chronic Pain
Many people who have chronic pain live sedentary lifestyles, which could be contributing to their condition. Increasingly, there is support for living a more physically active life, and that goes for whether or not one has chronic pain. While those who have chronic...
Can neck exercises help with chronic pain?
Millions of people experience chronic neck pain on a regular basis. The pain may result from their job, poor posture, or any number of reasons. Finding relief is at the top of their list, and new research shows that they may not need to look further than certain types...
Embracing Technology in Geriatric Dental Education: Preparing for the Future of Oral Healthcare
This blog is part of the Geriatric Dentistry Program weekly special – updates in Advancement and Oral Health in Geriatric Dentistry. Students in programs at dental schools across the country are increasingly benefiting from the flexibility of advanced education...
Are Older Adults More Vulnerable to Oral Systemic Link?
This blog is part of the Geriatric Dentistry Program weekly special - updates in Advancement and Oral Health in Geriatric Dentistry. The link between oral and systemic diseases has been under intense investigation in recent years. This is certainly an exciting...
Hybrid Learning for Orofacial Pain Expertise
In an ever-evolving world where technology continually reshapes how we learn and practice, the realm of dental education is no exception. While the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC has pioneered a Hybrid Online Competency-Based Residency Training, if...
New Advances in Oral Cancer Detection
Oral malignancy ranks among the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Dentists, as frontline healthcare specialists, play a crucial role in detecting benign and potentially malignant oral conditions, including oral cancers. The high prevalence and often delayed detection...
Is Drinking Alcohol Easing the Chronic Pain?
Millions of people in America suffer from chronic pain. Millions also love to drink alcohol on a regular basis. When combining the two, there may be some issues that those who work with chronic pain patients and those who have alcohol use disorder need to be aware of....
Can Improving One’s Mood Help with Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Most people know first-hand that they feel better when in a good mood. What they may only sometimes be aware of are the details about what those mood-boosting feelings are doing to the inside of their body. New research has emerged, sharing the results of a study...
The Impact of AI on Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming various fields, and orofacial pain and oral medicine is no exception. This blog explores the impact of AI on diagnostic accuracy, patient care, and the overall practice of dental medicine. Understanding Orofacial...
Teledentistry: Embracing Its Utility for Oral Healthcare
Telehealth services for teleconsultations and telemonitoring have increased since the pandemic [1], though teledentistry, in various forms, has been employed for at least the last 25 years [2]. Teledentistry may revolutionize oral healthcare by overcoming access...
Can School Nurses Help Adolescents with Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is something that can impact people of all ages. There are many studies being done over the years that try to find ways to help people find relief. While ones that focus on adolescents experiencing chronic pain are not as common, when there is information...