Robert G. Berman DDS 225 Terry Avenue N. #100|Seattle, WA 98109|206-622-2999|

Innovative Dentistry

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Our Blog

Archive for February, 2012

Cavities – Not Just Kids’ Stuff

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Cavities occur as a result of the destruction of tooth structure, called tooth decay. Tooth decay can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin (the inner layer of the tooth). While it is very important to brush and floss every day to remove food particles and plaque, regular cleanings and checkups at Innovative Dentistry at South Lake Union, is the best way to help avoid cavities.

Dr. Robert Berman can discover cavities during your regular dental checkup. The tooth surface feels soft when probed with a dental instrument. X-rays can also show cavities before they become visible to the eye. In advanced stages of tooth decay, you might experience a toothache, especially after consuming sweet, hot, or cold foods or drinks. Other signs of tooth decay are visible pits or holes in the teeth.

Don’t wait for a toothache!

Remember, the longer you wait to treat a cavity, the more extensive your treatment will be. A small cavity can be treated with a filling, while a large cavity that weakens the structure of your tooth may require a crown. If the decay is so bad that it causes the nerve or pulp of the tooth to die, a root canal or tooth removal may be your only options. If you think you may have a cavity, contact our office and schedule an appointment. We’ll make sure you leave with a healthy, pain-free smile!

Need to relax before your dental appointment? How about a complimentary massage?

Monday, February 13th, 2012


We have a very special offer going on right now at Innoviative Dentistry at South Lake Union that we are very excited to share with our patients!

Our neighbors here in South Lake Union, Massage Mundo, are offering all patients of Innovative Dentistry a complimentary 15-minute massage before your dental appointment!

To find out how to schedule, please call: (206) 718-1455. You can also check out the Massage Mundo website, and “like” them on Facebook to be informed of their other specials.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of us! Many thanks to Massage Mundo — what a lovely offer!

Cheers,
Drs. Berman & Eydenberg and the entire Innovative Dentistry at South Lake Union team

Lasers and your oral health, at Innovative Dentistry at South Lake Union

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Recently, Dr. Berman, Dr. Eydenberg and Mary at Innovative Dentistry at South Lake Union completed their Associate Fellowship Certifications with the World Clinical Laser Institute. With recent advances in the field, soft tissue lasers now have many applications in the dental field which help promote a healthy smile and give patients the utmost comfort during treatment. After adding a second diode laser to their practice, the team decided now was a great time to immerse themselves in the latest applications of these awesome tools.

Mary is excited to now offer laser bacterial reducation (LBR) for our patients on a regular 6 month cleaning schedule, along with Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT) for patients with more advanced gum therapy needs. The average person harbors 10^9 bacteria in the gum pocket around each tooth– that’s billions of bacteria present at all times. With LBR, a painless procedure taking about 5 minutes at the start of your cleaning, this number is reduced from billions to hundreds! Not only does this reduction in bacterial allow areas of inflammation to heal, but it also reduces the amount of bacteria introduced into your blood stream as part of a normal dental cleaning. LAPT is used in conjunction with a traditional deep cleaning to painlessly rid gum pockets of dead and infected tissue. The results from the procedure are revolutionary, and in many cases, will allow a patient to avoid a referral to a gum specialist.

Dr. Berman and Dr. Eydenberg are equally excited to introduce new services for our patients utilizing our diode lasers including apthous ulcer (canker sore) and Herpes I (cold sore) laser treatments, which promote reduced healing times. In the case of cold sores, when caught in the prodrome phase (before the actual lesion appears– tingling, burning period) it can actually prevent the cold sore from ever appearing on your lip. If you are a patient of record and have had the misfortune of experiencing one of these painful lesions, please do not hesitate to call our office the minute symptoms begin — it’s time to take control!

Feel free to ask us at your next appointment how our lasers can make your experience at our office more comfortable, efficient, and effective!

Regular visits to the dentist could lower your heart disease and stroke risk, new study suggests

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Don’t put off your next visit to Innovative Dentistry at South Lake Union any longer! Over the years, oral health issues have been increasingly linked to other health concerns, such as heart disease and strokes. Believe it or not, an estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of gum disease. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care, both at home and by visiting the dentist.

However, according to an article from ABC News, “The exact mechanism of how gum disease may be linked to heart disease and stroke is unclear.” One idea is that poor oral hygiene can lead to the overgrowth of bad bacteria in the mouth. This bacteria can move from the mouth into the blood stream and build up on blood vessel walls, which can then grow into plaques that clog arteries and cause heart attacks and strokes. The article also states, “Moreover, because these bacteria are foreign to the body, once they infiltrate the bloodstream, blood vessels think they are being attacked and try to kill them, just as they would an infection. This results in inflammation and swelling that narrows blood vessels and prevents adequate blood flow to vital organs like the brain and heart.”

A recent study which was presented at the American Heart Association, was less concerned about the details of why gum disease can increase the risk of stroke and heart attacks. Rather, the study focused on whether risk can be reduced by regular visits to the dentist. The article states:

“Dr. Zu-Yin Chen and colleagues at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan followed more than 100,000 patients over a seven-year period, only half of whom had ever had their teeth cleaned.

They found that the participants who had ever had their teeth cleaned had a 24 percent decreased risk of heart attack and a 13 percent lower stroke risk compared to those who had never had a dental cleaning.”

To learn more about this fascinating study, we encourage you to visit the article from ABC News. Additionally, if it has been over 6 months since your last checkup with our office, we encourage to you schedule an appointment!

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