Dental Hygiene News and Research

RSS

NIH funds national center to advance root canal alternatives

Which would you rather have: a root canal or a pulpotomy? Even if you're not familiar with a pulpotomy, you might be inclined to learn more.

23 Sep 2026

NIH’s continued investment fuels TMJ pain research

Chronic pain is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. Back pain is the most frequently reported type, followed closely by head and face pain linked to the jaw joint, in the form of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

27 Feb 2026

Understanding dental drill acoustics to help reduce patient anxiety

Dental anxiety, also known as odontophobia, prevents people from getting their regular cleanings and keeping up with necessary dental hygiene.

2 Dec 2025

New NIH grants fuel research in oral cancer treatment and pain relief

Researchers at the School of Dentistry at UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, have been awarded three multi-year grants totaling $6 million from the National Institutes of Health to address treatment and pain management for oral cancer.

7 Nov 2025

Oral and gut bacteria in stroke patients associated with worse prognosis and mortality

A common bacteria usually found in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, Streptococcus anginosis, may be abundant in the guts of people with stroke and is associated with a worse prognosis and increased risk of death, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2025.

30 Jan 2025

Gut bacteria changes may foreshadow rheumatoid arthritis

Changes in the gut microbiome before rheumatoid arthritis is developed could provide a window of opportunity for preventative treatments, new research suggests.

8 Nov 2024

NIH supports research on non-opioid pain relief for oral cancer patients

The School of Dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) earned the first National Institutes of Health grant under its new Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research, addressing pain in patients with head and neck carcinoma.

4 Oct 2024

UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry opens special-care dental clinic in South Texas

The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry has opened a special-care dental clinic, the first of its kind in an academic setting in South Texas that will serve people of all ages with intellectual, developmental, cognitive or physical disabilities.

9 Feb 2024

UT Health San Antonio launches new center to transform community and global oral health

The School of Dentistry of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has launched the Center for Global and Community Oral Health, designed to bring together various existing outreach and research programs under one umbrella to study and develop solutions to the most pressing dental challenges facing the global population.

29 Nov 2023

Scientists identify mechanism of alcohol withdrawal headaches

About 283 million people worldwide suffer from alcohol use disorder, a debilitating health challenge for which limited therapeutic options are available. The cost to society is estimated at greater than $2 trillion annually.

30 Oct 2023

Skipping nightly toothbrushing could heighten cardiovascular disease risk

Research investigated the impact of toothbrushing timing on cardiovascular disease risk. The study found that brushing teeth at night was associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk compared to not brushing at all.

2 Jul 2023

Natural molecule could be added to toothpastes and mouthwashes to improve dental hygiene

Most of the world's population either chronically suffers from plaque and dental cavities or will develop them at some point in their lives.

29 Jun 2023

What is the association between mean daily alcohol intake and all-cause mortality?

Researchers investigated the association between the consumption of alcohol and the risk of all-cause mortality.

4 Apr 2023

People with poor oral health may be more likely to show signs of declining brain health

Taking care of your teeth and gums may offer benefits beyond oral health such as improving brain health, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2023.

2 Feb 2023

How could probiotics be used in the management of gingivitis and periodontitis?

New research explores how probiotic-based therapy in conjunction with established treatment regimens can be an effective approach for combating gingivitis and periodontitis.

28 Dec 2022

Dental health care workers report anxiety and depression symptoms during peaks of the pandemic

The first known U.S. study to evaluate the mental health of frontline dentists and dental hygienists during the pandemic found that dental health care workers report anxiety and depression symptoms during peaks of transmission among the public.

25 Jul 2022

Using AI to improve your dental care and keep you smiling

In this interview, we speak to Severin Stalder, CEO of Zaamigo, about their AI dental camera and how it is helping to improve people's dental hygiene.

15 Jul 2022

MAPK pathway mutations can provide “precision” treatment targets for head and neck cancer

About one-fifth of often deadly head and neck cancers harbor genetic mutations in a pathway that is key to normal cell growth, and scientists report those mutations, which enable abnormal cancer cell growth, can also make the cancer vulnerable.

28 Apr 2022

Study of dental hygienists shows the profound impact of COVID-19 on clinical practice

Nearly two years into the pandemic with widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines and a decrease in infections, new studies reveal dental hygienists have low COVID-19 infection rates and high vaccination acceptance.

22 Feb 2022

Hygienists brace for pitched battles with dentists in fights over practice laws

This year, the Illinois legislature was considering measures to expand oral health treatment in a state where millions of people live in dental care deserts.

19 Oct 2021