Dr. Ann Abdulla, DDS

11/26/2025

May your Thanksgiving be filled with joy and gratitude!

11/21/2025

A new study illustrates how gut health plays a role in sleep apnea.

“Sleep, essential for physical and mental well being, is not only influenced by brain circuits, but also by the trillions of microbes residing in the gastrointestinal tract.

"These microbes communicate with the brain through metabolic, neural and immune pathways, comprising a bidirectional network known as the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

"Disruptions in this axis are consistently associated with diverse sleep disorders including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and circadian rhythm disturbances-as well as neuropsychiatric conditions marked by sleep problems.”

Scientists have uncovered compelling evidence highlighting the crit

11/19/2025

This ultrasound unit is an effective tool for TMD's.

How ultrasound works for TMJ pain:

🔥Deep heating: The sound waves create a deep heating effect in the jaw muscles and joint, which helps to promote relaxation and increase circulation.

🔥Reduces inflammation: Increased blood flow helps to reduce swelling and chronic inflammation in the area.

🔥Relieves pain: By reducing muscle tension and inflammation, ultrasound can provide lasting pain relief.

🔥Improves jaw function: Studies show it can help improve overall jaw function, especially when combined with other therapies.

11/13/2025

“Not addressing obstructive sleep apnea is a double whammy, Tanzi said. Not getting enough good-quality sleep –– which can be hard to do when your breathing is impaired during the night –– has been associated with brain aging, but the microbleeds that could result may increase the risk for dementia down the line.”

Here is one more reason to treat your sleep apnea: Not doing so could be linked to cerebral microbleeds. And that could affect your risk of dementia.

11/11/2025

Look at all the nerves throughout the face and jaw. TMD can cause pain that’s mediated by the trigeminal nerve — the main sensory nerve of the face.

When muscles and joints around the jaw become tense or inflamed, they can irritate nearby nerve pathways, leading to facial pain, sensitivity, and sometimes muscle tension that extends into the jaw and neck.

We like to take a multifaceted approach with customized devices, physical therapy, mindfulness exercises and addressing the root cause of the issue.

11/07/2025

A snore is sometimes just a snore, the sound of relaxed tissues vibrating as air passes through. Sometimes, though, it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). What defines apnea isn’t just a loud snore but the total stoppage of breath for 10 seconds or more at a time – followed by choking and gasping as the body fights to resume breathing.

When you’re being kept awake by a bed partner’s snoring, it can be hard to think of anything but how annoying it is or how great it would be to have separate beds in separate bedrooms so at least you could get a good night’s sleep. You’re probably not worrying that the snoring – even […]

11/04/2025

We love helping people find comfortable solutions for their sleep apnea!

10/30/2025

“Bruxism rarely happens in isolation. More often, it’s a sign that something else is going on – your nervous system’s misguided way of responding to a problem that needs to be fixed. There are a couple of underlying problems that we see more often than others: sleep-disordered breathing and bite imbalances.”

If you grind your teeth, chances are that a night guard has been a part of your life. There’s good reason for that. A protective splint can greatly reduce the damage that grinding does to your teeth. Still, as new research in BMC Oral Health shows, even with a well-fitted night guard, your teeth m...

10/28/2025

Happy Halloween!

10/24/2025

There are all kinds of reasons why - on average - human jaws are getting smaller. This video touches on just one of them - and it’s a major one.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/

10/23/2025

There are dozens of lymph nodes in your face and neck that work to clear cellular debris from your tissues. If your jaw alignment is off, or if your jaw muscles are tight or swollen, this might affect the lymph system’s performance throughout your body.

10/17/2025

“When you think about jaw pain and TMJ disorders, it’s easy to get caught up in the mechanics of it all: misaligned bites, worn cartilage, muscle tension, joint dysfunction. It makes intuitive sense, after all. Something’s wrong with the jaw joint? Fix the joint! Splints, physical therapy, injections, surgery – all are aimed at structural issues.

“But new research suggests that as important as they are, a focus that’s totally on jaw mechanics may be missing something crucial: the powerful relationship between your mind and your experience of pain.”

When you think about jaw pain and TMJ disorders, it’s easy to get caught up in the mechanics of it all: misaligned bites, worn cartilage, muscle tension, joint dysfunction. It makes intuitive sense, after all. Something’s wrong with the jaw joint? Fix the joint! Splints, physical therapy, inject...