Pain secondary to opioids?
Collaboration of Nadia Gomez. Opioids Opioids are very potent and effective drugs; they are traditionally used for both acute and chronic pain conditions. However, opioids commonly cause vigorous side effects, some of which are likely to become lethal. The opioid signaling system has the greatest…
Drug Induced Dry Mouth
Collaboration of Nadia Gomez. Saliva is of vital importance for the maintenance of oral health, including the lubrication and repair of oral tissues, oral acid neutralization, maintenance, enamel in children, tooth remineralization, digestion, and speech. Systemic disorders can result in salivary gland dysfunction, for instance:…
Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene means having both a bedroom environment and daily routines that promote consistent, uninterrupted sleep. Sleep hygiene means having both a bedroom environment and daily routines that promote consistent, uninterrupted sleep. SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER SLEEP Keeping a stable sleep schedule Making your bedroom comfortable…
Are you sleeping well?
A good sleep is needed to give the body a chance to recover, and to have energy for fulfilling the daily responsibilities. This post explores the different stages of sleep, all of them needed to have “nice dreams!” Sleep Stages (by Kryger et al, 2017)…
Problems to sleep?
Insomnia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, accompanied by symptoms such as irritability or fatigue during wakefulness. Insomnia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, accompanied by symptoms such as irritability or fatigue during…
Did you received a medication prescription?
The medication is part of your treatment, and has been selected because it will help you to control infection, pain, or to improve the healing process. When you receive a prescription, there are several elements that the doctor will include: The name of the medication…
Guided Opening
What is a normal mouth opening path? Ideally, when you open and close your mouth, there is no deviation to any of the sides. To see if you have a straight opening, look at your image in a mirror, and visualize a vertical line located…
How to Treat Dry Mouth in Older Patients
There are many diseases such as Xerostomia and Salivary Gland Hypofunction, radiation therapy in the head and neck area, and medications that cause dry mouth. In this article, we present several treatment options for older patients experiencing dry mouth. Mouth Moisteners Several mouth moisteners in…
Cervical Stretching
In some cases, your facial pain might be related to pain in the cervical muscles, and a program to stretch the neck muscles might be helpful. The following are several exercises that your clinician might suggest*. Basic position (Double chin) Keeping your head straight, try…
Salivary Stones
What are salivary stones? Salivary Stone, also called sialoliths, are calcified organic masses that form within the salivary gland’s secretory system. Salivary stone comprises organic and inorganic materials, including calcium carbonates and phosphates, cellular debris, glycoproteins, and mucopolysaccharides [1]. Salivary Stone Formation Stages: Decreased saliva…