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...

Dr. Paul Bernstein and the staff of Bernstein Dental Care encourage all our patients to maintain a great oral health routine at home, but it is still important to come into the office for regular professional cleanings.  During the holidays, we want everyone looking forward to the New Year and maintaining great oral hygiene!  However much you brush and floss, some harmful bacteria grow in your mouth that cause gum disease and can only be removed by a dental professional.  It’s important to see a professional regularly not just to clean your teeth, but also to locate and monitor areas in the mouth that may need special attention, and a dentist can tell you if you may be missing a spot or skipping an important step in your regular oral care routine.  During a teeth cleaning, a hygienist thoroughly clean the area above and below the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and tartar. After the surfaces of the teeth are cleaned, the hygienist flosses between every one of your tee...

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 ...

Smoking will exacerbate any respiratory condition, and it is proven to cause snoring and lead to obstructive sleep apnea.  Patients struggling with sleep apnea should see Dr. Paul Bernstein and the staff of Bernstein Dental Care for evaluation. We can help patients find relief from sleep apnea with a snore guard, but quitting smoking is up to you! Smoking causes upper airway inflammation, meaning the swelling causes the airway to narrow and disrupts the flow of air to the nasal passage and throat.  This causes snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.  Cigarettes are highly addictive, and some smokers seek treatment for sleep apnea like a snore guard or CPAP machine, but continue to smoke. Smoking with sleep apnea not only puts more stress on the heart every day, but negates any treatment a sleep apnea patient is undergoing. Habitual smokers may feel relaxed by one last cigarette for the day, but it actually creates more complications for restful sleep. Smokers can experience nicotine withd...

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...

Dental implants have given a lot of people a second chance at oral health, but they don’t make people immune from gum disease. At Bernstein Dental Care in Bay Ridge, we urge patients to maintain vigilant oral hygiene practices. If they notice signs of inflammation around an implant (“peri-implantitis”), it may be time to call us for help. Inflammation is the immune system’s initial response to an infection. It isolates disease-causing agents and makes cells more permeable to resources white blood cells need for eliminating bacteria. But it also causes swelling, discoloration, and pain, and it can weaken cells permanently if it is prolonged. Not all gingivitis is caused by gum disease. There may be a foreign object, such as leaking cement from an implanted crown, irritating the gum tissue.  A patient may also have an autoimmune disorder. But gum inflammation is usually caused by infections below the gum line, which require professional attention to clean. Bleeding gums are never a good ...

Dr. Paul Bernstein of Bernstein Dental Care replaces teeth and restores patient smiles with dental implants. Implants are a permanent restorative option for teeth that are missing or have been extracted.  They look and feel like natural teeth, and are the most permanent and efficient means of replacing lost teeth. Implants are titanium screws inserted into the jaw bone. Over a period of 3-6 months, the jaw bone heals around the implant to become a solid, stable base for the new tooth. During this time a patient is fitted with a temporary crown, and a custom crown is created to match their smile perfectly. After the jaw bone and gums have healed appropriately, the custom crown is placed in a second appointment. Sometimes, the doctor may need to expose the head of the implant in a second minor surgery.  When everything is healed, the crown will be screwed or cemented to the top of the implant.  When this is complete the tooth looks like part of the natural smile, and with proper care wil...