Bernstein Dental Care: Blog

Have you recently had a cold drink ruined by a sensation of shooting pain in your teeth? It could be eroded enamel. We hope that all our patients at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge are enjoying summer treats, but if they’re suffering from tooth sensitivity, we can help. The pulp chambers inside our teeth are highly sensitive. They are surrounded by dentin, a hard substance made up of tubules that easily conduct heat. Dentin is a greyish-yellow color, and although it is normally shielded by a crown’s hard enamel, it can be visible when enamel is thin. Enamel may be worn down by mechanical processes if there is a problem with the patient’s bite or if the patient is grinding their teeth, but in most cases of sensitivity, enamel has been eroded by acid. The most common source of acid is bacteria that consume food debris, although it may also be regurgitated from the stomach. Tooth roots are surrounded by a thin substance called cementum. If the gums have receded enough for the cementum ...

Are you searching for a way to replace your teeth that won’t leave you with an extremely long recovery time or unstable denture? It sounds like you could use mini-implants. Available at the Bay Ridge office of Bernstein Dental Care, this technology allows us to secure full and partial dentures to a patient’s jaw through minimally invasive techniques. A typical implant is over three millimeters wide and supports a single tooth or part of a bridge. Those are highly effective, but they are not suitable for situations in which a patient has lost a great deal of jaw bone material or needs to replace multiple teeth that aren’t in a row. Mini-implants are less than three millimeters wide and their strength is derived from their length instead of their width. They can often be inserted without incisions and have a much faster osseointegration process, being able to bear the distributed weight of a denture immediately, whereas traditional implants needed several months to stabilize. The abutmen...

During the summer, people tend to be more active outdoors and may be at greater risk for dental injuries. While nobody ever plans to get a tooth knocked out, we at Bernstein Dental Care thought it would be a good idea to remind our patients of what steps they can take during a dental emergency to have the best chance of preserving their teeth. When a tooth is knocked out entirely, we call that a “dental avulsion.” The tooth should be lifted by its crown, never its root. There are American Dental Association-approved tooth transport containers that will hopefully be available in a nearby first aid kit, but if not, the tooth should be rinsed with a saline solution. It should then be reinserted into the empty socket, with care to ensure it is facing the right way. If this is too uncomfortable, it may be held in the cheek or in a glass of milk or saltwater, but the patient should have facial lacerations attended to first. We can determine whether a tooth is salvageable. It may not be if th...

Dental pulp is highly sensitive and it’s no fun when it gets inflamed. An infection inside the tooth will not only be painful, it will also cause bad breath and can develop into a facial abscess. We provide root canal therapy at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge to combat pulp infections, but new research indicates that patients who smoke may be at risk for worse, recurring inflammation. Pulpitis (the medical term for pulp inflammation) occurs when a tooth gets injured or infected. It is a way for the immune system to restrict the flow of blood-borne pathogens, concentrate white blood cells, and make cellular walls more permeable to antimicrobial peptides. These molecules are among the immune system’s more important weapons. Antimicrobial peptides grab onto invading bacteria and kill them. But scientists say that in smokers’ dental pulp, antimicrobial peptides seem to be absent . During a root canal procedure, infected dental pulp is removed and replaced with a sealer. But if any bact...

Flossing is important when it comes to your oral health. Flossing removes about 40% of the bacteria and plaque that forms on your teeth. Each tooth you have has five surfaces, two of them are cleaned by flossing. At Bernstein Dental Care, we advise our patients to floss every day. Flossing removes the plaque that generates acid and can cause cavities that put you at a greater risk of gum disease. We encourage our patients to use floss that is 15 to 18inches long in a ‘C’ shape for the best flossing job. If you have trouble flossing we recommend you use plaque removers that allow you to floss between your teeth with one hand. While there are different types of flosses out there, the most important thing is that you are flossing. We caution our patients do not worry if there is blood when you are flossing, it just means your gums are inflamed because of plaque buildup. Don’t forget to floss every day to maintain good oral health! Dr. Paul Bernstein runs Bernstein Dental Care at 350 91 st...

At Bernstein Dental Care LLC, we advise parents to start cleaning their children’s teeth as soon as their baby teeth develop. Every February is National Children’s Dental Month which is sponsored by the American Dental Association to raise awareness for children’s oral health. The most chronic disease for children is tooth decay which is preventable through practicing good oral health care. When your children’s baby teeth develop, you should clean their teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a dab of toothpaste. We recommend soft-bristled toothbrushes for children because they are gentler on your gums and teeth. The cause of tooth decay is when plaque and bacteria form on your teeth and ultimately forms cavities. Tooth decay is preventable by taking care of your teeth and brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. When possible, we encourage all of our patients to eat a healthy diet and limiting your consumption of sugar and acidic that can damage your teeth. Don’t forget to bri...

If you break a tooth, you can count on Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge for restorations. We are experienced providers of implant-supported crowns, but we work hard to save natural teeth. Although nobody plans to chip or crack a crown, there are some steps we hope our patients will remember to take in order to make a successful restoration likelier. In ordinary circumstances, it is the molars that are most vulnerable to breaking. They have a large surface to distribute bite force across, but some things are still too hard for them and break their cusps or cause them to split down the middle. Our other teeth cannot handle nearly as much force and are likely to break or tilt if they are used for chewing. When a tooth breaks, patients should rinse their mouths with salt water. They should cover the broken tooth with sugar-free chewing gum or if they have any nearby, orthodontic wax. The smallest cracks, which are called craze lines, are a cosmetic issue and may be covered with veneers. ...

At Dr. Paul Bernstein’s Bay Ridge dental office, we assist patients suffering from jaw pain and teeth grinding as a result of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). Night guards are a simple solution to both teeth grinding and throat obstructions, but they require daily maintenance to prevent bacterial build-up. There are cleaning solutions approved for night guards by the American Dental Association, and anti-bacterial soap works well, too. But most night guard manufacturers still recommend brushing it daily after removing it in the morning. Patients should take care to avoid using a hard-bristled toothbrush (which isn’t appropriate for anything dental-related) and to not use a cleaning solution that is reinforced with minerals for teeth. Extra fluoride could scratch the night guard, creating a home for bacteria. The water should also be room-temperature to eliminate the risk of warping. The biggest difference between cleaning a night guard and a denture is that dentures should alway...

Diabetes doesn’t make gum disease inevitable, but it does mean that diabetic people need more dental support. At Bernstein Dental Care in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood, we hope that people with diabetes will feel comfortable coming to us for help with gum problems, and we wanted to explain more about why they are especially at risk. Gum disease is very common. Gingivitis, or “gum inflammation” is the body’s initial response to it and is characterized by redness and bleeding. People with diabetes have even higher rates of gingivitis than the general population. One of the consequences of uncontrolled high blood sugar is decreased efficacy of the immune system, but scientists are increasingly finding evidence that the bacteria that cause gum disease also interfere with the body’s glucose regulation, setting off a vicious circle. The more advanced form of gum disease, periodontitis, threatens the integrity of the gums, tooth roots, and surrounding jaw tissue. But periodontal intervent...

Do you have a tooth that is badly chipped or decayed? We at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge can fix it. When a tooth is damaged, its natural crown can be reduced in size and be covered in a prosthetic cap that looks identical to any other tooth. But in some cases, only a partial crown is necessary. Partial crowns are also known as inlays or onlays. The difference is their size. When a large portion of enamel is decayed, we’ll remove it using a high-tech drill that emits water to prevent heat damage. We’ll also determine through imaging tests whether the patient’s pulp is infected and needs a root canal. When all the infected material is removed, we can make an impression of the patient’s mouth that will be used as the basis for milling a partial crown. The patient walks out of the office wearing a temporary crown on the affected tooth. A few weeks later, they will return to have the permanent artificial crown cemented in. We differentiate between an inlay, which nestles between the ...

Tooth extractions are a simple matter at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge. We provide patients with easy-to-understand instructions about how to care for themselves afterward and we respond quickly in the rare cases when people experience complications. But swelling immediately after an operation is normal, so patients should know what to expect and whether there is cause for concern. When a tooth is extracted, the bone at the base of the socket will briefly be exposed before the socket scabs over. Inflammation, like clotting, helps to prevent outside pathogens from traveling through the body. Extractions which required surgical incisions into the gum tend to cause a lot more inflammation than ones in which the tooth is simply rocked until it can be lifted out. Swelling will usually peak thirty-six hours after the extraction, so patients should try to minimize it until then by applying cold packs. The cold packs should be held against the skin for fifteen minutes at a time, with fift...

Gum disease is a serious issue in its own right and it has implications for other parts of the body, as well. But there is good news. At Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge, we’re happy to share with our patients recent research showing that treatment for gum infections can improve symptoms of cirrhosis. When a person has cirrhosis, their liver has scarred over as a result of chronic inflammation. This inhibits the liver’s ability to filter blood, causing inflammation throughout the body and a decline in cognitive function. It is widely known that cirrhosis and gum disease can both result from smoking and excessive alcohol, but there is also a version of cirrhosis called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease . People with this ailment also have unusually high rates of gingivitis, which prompted scientists to examine whether there was a causative link. In the study conducted at Virginia Commonwealth University, people with both cirrhosis and periodontal disease were divided into one group t...

It’s just about time for Halloween, signaling the beginning of the sugar-filled holiday season. We at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge thought our patients might appreciate some tips on how to avoid tooth decay and potential emergencies such as dislodged fillings, so we’ve put together this guide. The most important thing to remember about tooth decay is that the length of time teeth are exposed to food makes more of a difference than the food’s sugar content. In that regard, a stuck piece of bread could be more harmful than a quickly-swallowed piece of dark chocolate. The candies that present the greatest threat are those which are hard and have to be sucked on for a long time and those that are sticky. Syrupy drinks also contribute to tooth decay if they are drunk slowly over a long period, allowing sugar to accumulate in the mouth without water to wash it away. One good way of counteracting sugary candy is with sugar-free gum. It can pull food debris out from between teeth, althou...

It’s October, and that means its National Dental Hygiene Month. While most people know that brushing and flossing are essential to good health, they may be rusty in their technique. We at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge thought the beginning of the holiday season would be an appropriate time to remind our patients. From the time a baby’s first tooth begins to erupt, peoples’ teeth should be brushed twice a day. (People with removable dentures should also brush their gums.) People using manual toothbrushes should brush for two minutes each time. When brushing the fronts of the teeth, use a side-to-side motion, but don’t skip over the parts near the gum line. When brushing the backs, use a vertical motion with each tooth. Floss by sliding the strand all the way down each side of each tooth, including the backsides of the back teeth. Pull the strand up with a sweeping motion to catch more plaque. A Waterpik is also an acceptable way of cleaning between teeth, but there are other means ...

Regular dental cleanings are crucial for overall health. Removing plaque can prevent periodontitis from developing later, and examinations are an opportunity to check for oral cancer. But some people’s fear of the dentist prevents them from getting the medical care they need. To make our patients more comfortable, we at Dr. Paul Bernstein’s Bay Ridge dental office thought it would be a good idea to talk about our instruments. The instruments used most frequently by hygienists are the handheld mirror, evacuator, and explorer. The evacuator is the name for the hose that suctions away saliva and debris. Explorers, also known as probes, are the hooked instruments used to break apart tartar. We also use them to inspect the health of gum pockets and to determine whether white spot lesions are still infected. There are more specialized instruments we use if we find a problem such as decay. Usually, when performing a procedure, we numb patients with a local anesthetic delivered through a syrin...

We care dearly about all our patients’ comfort at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge.  Children often get toothaches and they should be taken seriously. What causes them may differ slightly from what causes toothaches in adults, and they may be the first sign of a larger problem. Children often have trouble brushing. They are the age-group with the highest rate of caries, but they may also brush too hard and damage their gums. Brushing should be done for two minutes per session, with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and on every tooth surface. There are grips available for people who have difficulty with dexterity that can be used to hold a toothbrush. Sometimes, teeth are sensitive when they first erupt through the gum line, but this should resolve within a few days. Another potential cause of tooth sensitivity is a sinus infection, which can cause pain that radiates into the upper teeth. Fillings that come loose or “leak” need to be replaced and often cause sensitivity or allow new infect...

When patients need new dental bridges, they can count on Dr. Paul Bernstein to supply them with a variety of options. Located in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood, Dr. Bernstein is an experienced provider of replacement teeth, and given the variety of our patients’ circumstances, we want them to know about the advantages of different bridges. A dental bridge is a series of artificial crowns linked together. The traditional bridge had one crown suspended between two others, which were placed on top of reshaped natural teeth. The benefit of this type of bridge is that it retained the natural tooth roots, which are already stabilizing the jaw bone. The downside is that it required the reshaping or removal of teeth in the row which may have been healthy in order to repair their neighbors. It was best used on people with widespread decay. Modern dental bridges come in the form of removable dentures. They can be made with gaps for healthy natural teeth, but need to be reshaped if the natural...

Which dental hygiene products are best for a patient will vary according to their needs. At Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge, we are attentive to all our patients’ unique challenges, which is why we want to help people choose between electric and manual toothbrushes. An electric toothbrush makes thousands of strokes per minute. A manual toothbrush can only make dozens. This means there is a greater risk of overbrushing with electric toothbrushes, but they are much easier to use for people with compromised motor skills. Studies have shown that the two kinds of toothbrushes are equally good at preventing decay when used properly, but to use a manual toothbrush properly, patients must brush for two full minutes per session. Brushing thoroughly is of little use if the patient frequently misses spots. Some newer electric toothbrushes are also compatible with apps that inform a user of when they’re skipping over tooth surfaces. Versions of the apps for children include video games which pr...

We at Dr. Paul Bernstein’s Bay Ridge dental practice take a nonjudgmental attitude toward each of our patients’ oral health needs. One condition which can cause a lot of problems, including gum inflammation, is the autoimmune disorder Sjögren’s Syndrome. Sjögren’s Syndrome is a disease in which the immune system attacks the tear and saliva glands, leading to dry eyes and dry mouth (also known as xerostomia). It is associated with lupus and also tends to occur most often in middle-aged women of color who are genetically susceptible following prolonged stress or infection. Besides being uncomfortable, xerostomia interferes with the immune system’s ability to fight infections. Lack of saliva makes it harder for the body to clean out food debris, leading to more bacterial growth. Fungal infections are also more common in Sjögren’s Syndrome patients, resulting in halitosis. People with Sjögren’s Syndrome need to be especially diligent about their oral hygiene and maintaining regular cleanin...

Were you aware that if you experience pain in your jaw, neck, or head, you may be at increased risk for a car crash? The common factor is obstructive sleep apnea (OAS), and at Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge, we want our patients to understand what we can do to help. In people with OAS, the airways become blocked at night. In an attempt to keep them open, the jaw moves forward, resulting in night-time teeth grinding. Unfortunately, this is damaging to the teeth, causes pain in muscles connected to the jaw, and isn’t even a reliable way of getting enough oxygen to the body during sleep. New research on drivers with sleep apnea indicates that they are 13% likelier to crash their cars if their sleep apnea is mild and 123% likelier to crash if their sleep apnea is severe. Dentists can help patients get better rest by designing custom-fitted night guards. These oral appliances prevent the teeth from rubbing together, sparing the patient from jaw pain and helping to keep their airways op...