A recent study by the National Institute of Health (NIH) has revealed that patients who suffer from debilitating migraine headaches may be at an increased risk for developing another painful condition: temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJD for short. Temporomandibular joint disorder is a condition of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the jaw to the rest of the skull. The disorder occurs when the temporomandibular joint becomes out of alignment, causing everything from pain and soreness of the jaw to tinnitus; teeth grinding (also known as bruxism); head, neck and back aches; and the inability to open and close the mouth and jaw.

According to Bellmore, New York, neuromuscular dentistry specialist Dr. Gary Lederman, an estimated 15 percent of the population suffers from temporomandibular joint disorder - and some of those people could also be suffering from migraine headaches.

We’ve been hearing about vaping for the past decade or so: how it may be a safer alternative to smoking, how it’s growing in popularity. But recently there’s been a shift in the coverage of vaping. We are now beginning to realize the many potential dangers of this trending habit.

Vaping is the use of e-cigarettes, devices that turn a fluid containing nicotine and flavoring into an aerosol vapor that is inhaled much like a cigarette, but without the tar or smoke that are characteristic of regular paper cigarettes.

We love our teeth. They help us eat, they give us a beautiful smile, and they keep our jaw bones healthy and strong. But sometimes we do things to our teeth that are bad for them and can cause irreparable damage. Some of these bad habits can be easy to break, but others take some practice. Here are just a few things you should never ever do with your teeth - and some solutions, too.

Having white, healthy teeth is something many people aspire to. Studies have shown that people perceive white teeth as making you look younger, healthier and more attractive. But for some people, getting those pearly whites the right shade of white can be a challenge. Stained, cracked, chipped and misshapen teeth can be impossible to improve without dental intervention, but there are solutions for those willing to pay the price.

A new treatment may be coming to a dental practice near you, and it could save you a lot of pain when it gets here. Until recently, patients suffering from halitosis (or bad breath) due to periodontal disease or gum inflammation were limited in what they could do to eliminate the condition.

But a recent development could change all that – and it comes in the form of a very high-tech new device.

Do you wear a mouth guard? Maybe you feel like you don’t need to because you don’t play a sport, but there are many reasons people wear mouth guards that have nothing to do with athletic activities. Mouth guards can be a significant financial investment for some people, but believe it or not, they can often pay for themselves over time, especially when it comes to wear and tear on the teeth. Here are a few ways in which anyone can benefit from wearing a mouth guard.

An estimated 30 million adults suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes stopping and restarting of breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the upper airway collapsing while the body is in the reclined position. It can cause snoring, gasping and choking noises while the affected person sleeps. Unfortunately, it can also cause a lot more trouble for sufferers, especially when left untreated. If you’re still not convinced that your obstructive sleep apnea is worth taking seriously, check out these reasons for treating this dangerous condition.

Parkinson’s disease affects an estimated 10 million people worldwide, with men 1.5 times more likely to have the illness than women. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disease caused by degeneration of the brain’s basal ganglia and the brain’s dopamine transmitter. Parkinson’s disease most commonly affects persons over the age of 50, but approximately 4 percent are diagnosed with the illness prior to age 50.

If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you may have been led to believe that CPAP therapy is the only treatment option. The problem is, CPAP is often uncomfortable, and as a result many people who are prescribed CPAP therapy simply do not use their machine, rendering it useless in treating their apnea. But the good news is there is a solution. Custom sleep orthotics can be an excellent alternative to CPAP therapy. Here’s why.

Getting a dental crown can be a nerve-wracking experience for anyone, but the procedure is nothing to be afraid of. Think of your crown as a deluxe filling – the Cadillac of fillings, if you will. A crown is a great way to restore your tooth without being obvious. If your dentist recommends you have a crown put on, congratulations – most likely your natural tooth can be saved!

Dental care can be expensive, especially when it’s not covered by insurance. Much of the cosmetic dental work done in America is not covered, making cosmetic dentistry a significant investment in one's health and well-being. Thankfully there are options such as health savings accounts and financing, but for some people there’s a new option that is making headlines around the country. There has been a recent increase in interest in something called "tourism dentistry," where American dental patients go to other countries for dental work. Proponents say it’s both cheaper and "just as good" as the care you might receive domestically. But is that really true?

We’ve probably all experienced a dry mouth at one point or another, thanks to dehydration. But what you may not know is that there’s a different type of dry mouth - chronic dry mouth - that can be much more difficult to get rid of than by simply drinking water. For this type of dry mouth, there can be many causes that you may not even realize are there.

Dry mouth is more than just an uncomfortable inconvenience. It can cause cavities because the lack of saliva in your mouth means you aren’t washing away harmful plaque bacteria in your mouth. If you’re wondering why your mouth is always dry, here are just a few surprise causes of dry mouth, and what you can do to fix it.

Stress. It can strike at any time, any place, and for any reason. But when it comes to stress, nothing seems to bring it on quite like work. Whether it’s a tough client, a fast-approaching deadline or a project that just won’t seem to come together, for most people, work stress is just a fact of life. Worse yet, stress can cause us to do some bad things, including grinding our teeth, clenching our jaws and even mindlessly snacking on sugary foods.

But you don’t need to let stress ruin your oral health. Here are some tips you can use anywhere to help reduce your stress level without gritting your teeth or reaching for that bag of candy hidden in your desk (we see you!).

There’s something different about actress Dakota Johnson these days. Following a recent appearance on the talk show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Johnson revealed that a change in her famous gap-toothed smile was due to the removal of a permanent retainer. According to Johnson, once the retainer was removed, her teeth shifted, and the signature space between her top two central incisors closed up. Johnson addressed concerns of saddened fans who have grown accustomed to the actress’s teeth, which in a sea of spotless Hollywood smiles always stood out. She assured them that the gap would be back following further treatment.

If you’re like most people, you feel a lot better after getting a good night’s sleep. But for some people, staying up late and getting up early is just a way of life. Unfortunately, according to a new study from Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, sleeping less than five hours (or more than nine hours) could be detrimental to your health.

The study, which was led by Professor Shim Hye-young, found that patients who slept less than five hours each night weren’t just at a high risk of being tired during the day - they also increased their risk of developing the painful joint condition temporomandibular joint disorder (or TMJ disorder for short).

An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from the not-so-silent sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is defined as a sleep disorder that causes those affected to repeatedly stop and restart breathing throughout the night. This often translates to restless nights, causing health issues such as lethargy and fatigue that reverberate throughout their waking day. But emerging research is finding that sleep apnea may be causing more problems than just restless nights and tired days. Here’s what you should know about the dangers of sleep apnea.

There are three main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea syndrome. Of these three main apnea types, the most common is obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when there is an obstruction to the throat muscles, such as pressure on other parts of the throat caused by obesity. Obstructive sleep apnea is an especially dangerous form of sleep apnea because it is usually caused by and occurs with other health problems.

You may have seen the pictures going around the internet of an Iranian woman who went to the dentist with complaints of gum inflammation and was diagnosed with a condition called "strawberry gingivitis." The photos show red, inflamed gums with a puffy, strawberry-like appearance, giving the condition its telling nickname. But what is strawberry gingivitis, and should the average person be worried about developing this dangerous condition?

When it comes to sleeping, there’s a lot of misinformation about what’s healthy and what’s not. But unfortunately, what you don’t know really can hurt you. Check out these three sleep-related myths and the real science behind them.

There are many different disorders and defects of the teeth. One you may not have heard of is enamel hypoplasia. It’s a bit of a tongue twister, but basically it means that the tooth or teeth affected do not have fully developed enamel (in fact, the word hypoplasia means "underdeveloped"). Enamel hypoplasia is caused by cells called ameloblasts, which don’t properly form or incur damage during the tooth’s development. Enamel hypoplasia presents itself on the tooth as white or brown spots, or pitting in the tooth itself.

Unfortunately, people with enamel hypoplasia often get cavities more easily and frequently on their affected tooth or teeth, so offering those teeth an extra layer of protection is vital.

According to a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, sleep apnea during pregnancy could pose significant risks to more than just the pregnant mother. The study found that expectant mothers who had sleep apnea had higher levels of blood glucose, which in turn affected infant growth patterns both in and out of the womb.

Unfortunately, these growth patterns often resulted in problems later in the unborn baby’s life, such as childhood obesity.