“I thought everybody loved going to the dentist!” quips Pnina Levine, her voice warm with amusement as she recalls her childhood naiveté.
As a young girl, Pnina (Hebrew for “Pearl”) had a genetic disorder that caused many of her permanent teeth not to develop. Therefore, her parents frequently took her to their dentist for treatment. His was a simple, family practice, his office in his home. “I loved my dentist. He was my hero, my role model,” she says.
And so, she decided to become a dentist herself. Dr. Levine describes her own north Phoenix office as “a simple, family practice.” She’s been there since 1984, along with staff members who have been with her for many of those years. In 2013 Dr. Levine was voted Top Dentist by Phoenix Magazine. This pleases her greatly because she was chosen by her peers. “Dentists know good dentists,” she confides, proudly. Her father was an engineer, her mother a schoolteacher. Reared in New Jersey with two younger brothers, she and her family “traveled all over Europe in my early years,” she says. They especially loved Israel, where they spent a lot of time and have relatives.
She attended yeshiva from second to sixth grade. Judaism has always been a big part of her family life. “I’m very traditional,” she says, having been raised Conservative. “ To this day, whenever we travel, we find a synagogue and attend Friday night services wherever we can.”
Dr. Levine attended Rutgers University and graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School in 1982. She and her husband, Alan Gold, were married that same year. After their honeymoon, they moved to Arizona. They have a grown daughter and son, both University of Arizona graduates. For more than 25 years, Dr. Levine has volunteered her dental skills to children of migrant farm workers. “I just love the kids. They ’re so sweet and appreciative, and they really can use this help.” She also volunteers at CASS (Central Arizona Shelter Services), where she treats homeless patients.
In addition, Dr. Levine has become passionately involved in another area of dental care. She is adamant about alerting diabetics to the risks of gum disease. She became committed to this cause when one of her patients, a very active member of the American Diabetes Association, asked her to speak to an ADA group about the importance of good oral health. Since then, Dr. Levine has become a regular lecturer on the subject at the Mayo Clinic and at Paradise Valley Hospital.
“Gum disease (periodontal disease) is the sixth leading complication of diabetes,” she explains. “And diabetics are more likely to get gum disease, resulting in a higher rate of infection, gum and tooth loss.” What makes it worse is that periodontal disease can affect the diabetic’s blood sugar levels and immune system, leaving the patient vulnerable to even more harmful health problems.
“Diabetics have elevated sugar in their saliva,” she continues. “Bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar, causing plaque to form on the teeth, irritating the gums and causing them to become red, swollen, tender (gingivitis) and prone to bleeding when brushed. Without proper brushing and flossing, plaque becomes tarter (calculus), which hardens and can be removed only by a dentist or hygienist.”
Untreated gingivitis progresses to periodontal disease, wherein the gums recede from the teeth and the bone, and teeth loosen and fall out. Diabetics are also more prone to cavities because bacteria produce more acid, and acid puts holes in teeth.
Saliva cleanses the teeth, but a diabetic’s saliva glands produce insufficient saliva, leading to dry mouth. Dry mouth can lead to soreness, ulcers, infections and tooth decay. Thus, it is important for diabetics to use fluoride gel toothpaste. Also, thrush, a fungus that thrives in low-saliva and high-sugar oral environments, can develop. This ailment must be treated with a prescription antifungal medicine.
Sounds hideous, doesn’t it? This should put the fear of You-Know-Who into diabetics everywhere! “Fortunately,” Dr. Levine insists, “all of it is entirely preventable.” With a healthy diet, tooth brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing once a day and seeing your dentist regularly at least two to three times a year, diabetic dental disease and its consequences can be avoided. “My particular focus as a dentist,” she concludes, “is to help my patients achieve good overall health, dental health and to keep them smiling.” Who wouldn’t love going to this dentist?!
Joni Browne-Walders is a produced playwright, editor and freelance writer. She can be reached at jonibw@hotmail.com.
