What is Oral Medicine?
Oral medicine is the dental specialty that focuses on diagnosis and management of oral mucosal conditions and orofacial pain. This includes:
- Burning Mouth Syndrome
- Dry Mouth Syndrome
- Neuropathic pain of the jaw such as phantom tooth pain
- Movement disorders of the jaw
- Facial and trigeminal neuralgia
- Oral mucosal conditions such as oral lichen planus or oral hypersensitivity
- Oral complications from cancer treatment such as oral mucositis and oral GVHD (Graft vs. Host Disease)
- Oral cancer diagnosis, oral care during cancer treatment, and post-treatment follow-up
- Oral changes from systemic diseases including Crohn’s disease and Lupus
- TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder) pain and tooth grinding (bruxism)
- Viral (cold sores and shingles), bacterial, and fungal oral infections
- Canker sores
- Oral appliances for sleep breathing disorders such as sleep apnea
- Oral changes from smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco
- Tobacco cessation