Plaque Attack

No we’re not talking about an outer space invasion from Mars but an invasion of bacteria within you.   There is good bacteria and bad bacteria and this is a bad one.  Anaerobic bacteria now reside within your oral cavity.  They like to reproduce and they like to do it in your mouth.  Why because that’s what they do and your mouth is an ideal environment for them to procreate?

Inside your mouth it is warm around one hundred degrees.  It is also dark since there is no internal lighting there and most important there is a continual source of food.  If you’re living you’re eating.  A warm, dark place with abundant food supplies is just what’s needed to get this show on the road.

When you do not adequately clean your teeth a thick sticky residue called plaque accumulates.   Consider the plaque a city of bacteria that’s growing.  Maybe you want to do some demolition work to remove these little buggers.  It’s easy if you’re flossing and brushing twice per day.   You’re ruining their day but making yours.

Clean teeth are healthy teeth and with your regime of daily cleaning along with a healthy diet and regular professional cleaning will keep you out of trouble. 

If you are lazy about cleaning your teeth the plaque will build up and produce acids which damages the enamel or outside layer of your teeth leading to tooth decay.  Like an iceberg most of the plaque is hidden and invades into the area under your gums leading to irritation and eventual gum disease.  This is problematic since the gums hold your teeth into your jaws.

A beautiful smile starts with healthy teeth and gums and if not kept up to snuff due to plaque build-up give us a call today at 212 517 9000 for at the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit DDS we like meeting new people and resolving their dental issues.

So call today – You and Your teeth will be glad you did

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Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Frozen Summer Treats... Are Your Teeth Screaming?

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream so the saying goes.  But for some the thought of something cold or frozen going into their mouths is a cringe worthy experience.  When others are slurping you’re avoiding them.

Sensitivity to cold in your mouth is generally due to dental decay, gum diseases or abnormal wearing of your dentition.  Your teeth have a tough outer coating called enamel which protects the inside of your teeth.  The enamel helps to prevent decay and sensitivity to hot and cold substances.  If the enamel is compromised due to a cavity or hole in your tooth the inside of your tooth reacts by becoming more sensitive to temperature changes in your mouth.

If you have gum disease where your gums which support your teeth become inflamed, the roots which hold your teeth into your jaws can become exposed inside your mouth.  The teeth roots are supposed to be encased in bone and are not made of enamel but of dentine.  When exposed to your oral cavity the dentin is often sensitive to hot and cold and especially extreme cold as in summer treats.

If you are under stress and are clenching or grinding your teeth the enamel gets thinner and your tooth roots can become exposed.  Now you don’t want to stop enjoying summer treats but if the pain is too great you will probably have to.

Not to worry, if this is you we have ways to alleviate your sensitivity.  At the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 1498 Third Avenue between 84thand 85th Streets we see people who have sensitivity and we have treatments to get it under control.

So give us a call today at 212 517 9000.  You and your sensitive teeth will be glad you did.

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Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

The American Dental Association – Promoting Dental Health for more than 150 years

You’ve probably seen the ADA symbol on toothpaste, floss and mouth washes.  But, what do you know about this organization? The ADA’s mission statement is to improve the level of public oral health by supporting the dental industry through non-profit federal, state and local societies.  Founded in 1859 and run by its members currently more than 160,000.

The ADA Seal of Acceptance is not an endorsement of a product but rather a confirmation of the claims made by the manufacturer of the product.  Companies who want ADA approval must submit rigorous scientific testing to the Association.  Once submitted the ADA re-tests the products to further verify results.  There are now more than 300 products with the ADA seal.

The American Dental Association also provides resources to support dentists and their practices.  Educates the public about oral health, and works to increase access to dental care.  It offers counsel on important issues that influence the dental industry and works with other organizations on scientific research projects and public health initiatives.

Here at the dental practice of Dr Glenn Reit DDS, Dr Reit is a member of the ADA , New York State Dental Society, and the First District Dental Society of New York City.  He is also a member of the California Dental Society and the Los Angeles County Dental Society.

Whether you are in need of just a tooth cleaning or you believe you need something a little more involved we are here for you.  We are conveniently located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in Yorkville at 1498 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets.  We are always happy to meet new people.  If you need a dentist give us a call at 212 517 9000.   You and your teeth will be glad you did.

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Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

Different Type of Dental Specialties

In dentistry there are specialties but all general dentists perform all the procedures of specialists.

Dentistry is somewhat different from medicine.  In medicine Doctors generally deal with one part or treatment of the body.  While in dentistry even though there are specialists most dental treatments are performed by general dentists.  The specialists are for challenging cases.

With proper training general dentists can and do perform treatments of all the specialties.   So what and who are dental specialists.  First they are all general dentists who obtain additional training in one area of dentistry and then limit their practice to only performing specific treatments.

Here they are:  Endodontists who are concerned with root canals

                                Orthodontists who are concerned with movement of teeth

                                Periodontists who are concerned with providing dental treatment to children

                                Periodontists who are concerned with maintaining gum health

                                Oral Surgeons who are concerned with removing teeth

All dentists extract teeth.  This is the final treatment for hopeless teeth.  Today we are able to save teeth which in the past would be extracted.  Difficult extractions, third molar or wisdom tooth extractions and patients who want to be put to sleep for their tooth removal are generally referred to an oral surgeon.

Oral surgeons are also placing implants at this time.

Root canals are mainly done by general dentists.  An advantage to the patient is that the fee charged by a general dentist for a root canal is less than what an endodontist would charge for the same treatment.   Once again it is the degree of difficulty of the tooth involved which determines if the patient should be referred.  In the United States there are not enough endodontists available to perform all the root canals that are needed so general dentists are doing the vast majority of them.

All dentists can and do work on children.  It is a personal decision of the dentist if he or she wants to treat children.  Treating children requires a different mindset and the staff needs to be trained to handle the unique needs of working on adolescents.

Gum surgery and implant placement which is what periodontists perform can and are being performed by general dentists.  It comes down to the training and confidence of the general dentist to perform these treatments.

Finally in orthodontics general dentists are performing a substantial number of treatments.  With the advent of clear aligners such as Invisalign tooth movement is becoming the province of general dentists.  Again it is the parameters and the difficulty of the case that determines if an orthodontic referral is necessary.

In dentistry the general dentist as the name implies is the General.  The specialists are the subcontractors who the general dentist engages if he deems their services are needed.   The average patient generally first goes to their dentist for an evaluation before ever seeing a specialist.

At the dental practice of Glenn Reit DDS we are always happy to meet with new patients and to diagnose their condition.   We like people and we like taking care of you and your teeth.  If you think you need to see a dentist give us a call today at 212 517 9000.

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Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!

To Scale or Not

When one hears the word scale what comes to mind is scaling a mountain but in dentistry it’s cleaning a surface generally the surface of a tooth. When you eat food residue remains in your mouth.  When food is broken down it releases sugars. Bacteria need sugar to survive and especially like warm dark places without oxygen.

Guess what?  That’s exactly the situation in your mouth.  It’s dark, warm with limited oxygen.   Therefore to maintain your dental health you need to floss and brush daily.

Think of your teeth as cubes or squares.  When you brush your teeth you are cleaning the top, front and back of the tooth.  However, you are not cleaning in between your teeth.  This is where dental floss that little string comes in.  The floss can get in between your teeth to clean out whatever you have packed in.

If you’re not flossing and brushing you’re leaving food which will eventually lead to cavities and gum disease.  That’s where we come in.  We will be able to help you restore your mouth to a healthy condition painlessly and quickly.

If things are good a simple cleaning which includes scaling where we remove any hard deposits on your teeth followed by a cleaning with toothpaste.  You and your mouth will feel a whole lot better.

 If things are not so good meaning that your gums are inflamed and bleeding a more advanced cleaning will be needed.  In this situation we will get the area anesthetized and then be able to clean the inflamed areas more thoroughly with you remaining in comfort.   Once accomplished, your gums will begin to heal up and your mouth will feel a whole lot fresher.

For most individuals gum disease does not hurt and this allows it to progressively get worse without the patient realizing it.  If left untreated; it will eventually come back to bite you.

At the dental practice of Glenn Reit DDS located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in Yorkville we like people and we also like teeth.  So if you have or even if you don’t have any teeth come on by – we’d like to meet you and resolve any oral problems you may have.

We’re right across from our very own Mickey Dees on Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets.  So give us a call today at 212 517 9000 you and your teeth will be glad you did.

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Looking for a Dentist in the Upper East Side?

At the practice of Glenn Reit DDS; we provide quality care in a relaxed, comfortable, clean and safe environment. Please contact us today at 212 517 9000 for this or any other of your dental needs. We look forward to seeing and taking care of you!