Bernstein Dental Care: Blog

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...

Diabetic patients can be assured of having their specific needs cared for at Bernstein Dental Care in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood. We understand that diabetic patients are at increased risk for gum disease and we strive to provide them with education as well as preventive care. Part of that education includes teaching about their candidacy for implants. People who are at greater risk for oral health problems may well be in need of fixed prosthetic teeth, but whether diabetic patients can receive implants was subject to debate among dentists. One issue was that people with diabetes take longer to recover from wounds, including the surgical incisions necessary for implant placement. Dentists were also concerned that the chronic inflammation diabetic patients are prone to when their blood sugar is not under control could cause implant failure. After reviewing the scientific literature, the American Dental Association determined that people with controlled diabetes do not have higher...