expert type icon EXPERT

Dr. Barbara A. Tarnoski, D.M.D.

Dentist | General Practice

Dr. Barbara Tarnoski is a Dentist practicing in Drexel Hill, PA. Dr. Tarnoski specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases and conditions associated with the mouth and overall dental health. Dentists are trained to carry out such treatment as professional cleaning, restorative, prosthodontic, and endodontic procedures, and performing examinations, among many others.

Dr. Tarnoski practices at Philadelphia Dental Laser and Cosmetic Dentistry, LLC. This office offers LANAP and LAPIP Laser Services. These services use the Periolase MVP-7 Laser(TM). This laser, was built specifically to treat gum disease of natural teeth (LANAP) and gum disease of implants (LAPIP). The unique wavelength targets the bacteria that causes gum disease but uses a minimally invasive, BUT highly effective treatment. With LANAP and LAPIP there is no cutting/no sewing. There is less pain. This laser stimulates YOUR OWN BODY's STEM CELLS. Your body rebuilds its own supporting tooth structures to the best of its ability. THIS IS "YOUR SECOND CHANCE" to start with a mouth free of all gum disease bacteria. All gum disease bacteria is gone in one treatment!

Good mouth care is now your future. Mouth bacteria, gum disease bacteria, are not just staying in your mouth. The research shows, bacteria in your mouth gets into your bloodstream and is traveling to your brain, liver, pancreas, kidneys, joints, bladder, (etc.). Gum Disease and ALZHEIMER'S--There is a relationship. Inflamed arteries and veins, uncontrolled High Blood Pressure, High blood sugar, Pancreatic Cancer, all have a relationship. A high percentage of these patients have or had gum disease.

Our office helps patients develop a mouth care plan. No flossing, careless brushing but you visit your dentist twice a year? Patients have their teeth in their mouth--24/7: putting food in your mouth continuously, not cleaning your mouth to remove food particles? Food particles are rotting in your mouth and along with the bacteria and this is moving all over you body and we know this can't be good. The damage from cigarettes alone has injured our bodies. You don't smoke? But what about the bacteria and the toxins roaming all over your body, this can't good. The best you can do is clean your mouth, teeth and remove the bacteria. Your significant other can also have gum disease. Close contact
transmits gum disease. Parents lack of good mouth care can affect their children.

Mouth care is major part of our office. We also work with those patients who have been in head and neck pain longer than 18 months. We work with TMJ patients but also work with patients who are still in pain.

Our office practices general dentistry.




Dr. Barbara A. Tarnoski, D.M.D.
Specializes in:
  • Gum Disease
  • Teeth, And Gum Care
  • Tooth implant
  • Dental Braces
  • Drexel HIll, PA
  • Temple University
  • Accepting new patients

Would my dentures be considered a prosthesis?

Dentures are a prosthesis, a dental prosthesis. Insurance companies carefully word their policies. If there is no clause that excludes dental, your dentist may submit a claim. READ MORE
Dentures are a prosthesis, a dental prosthesis. Insurance companies carefully word their policies. If there is no clause that excludes dental, your dentist may submit a claim. Your insurance company may pay the claim or deny it. Insurance companies may pay for a denture on a ONE TIME basis, for life. Other insurance companies will replace a denture every 5 years. There is no coverage for lost or broken dentures.

Why are my gums still swollen from having my teeth pulled?

You can go back to your oral surgeon. Are you still rinsing with salt water? If you had all four wisdom teeth extracted, your body is still healing those areas. Do you smoke? Are READ MORE
You can go back to your oral surgeon. Are you still rinsing with salt water? If you had all four wisdom teeth extracted, your body is still healing those areas. Do you smoke? Are you doing mouth care at least twice a day? Salt water rinsing several times a day is soothing to the tissues and removes any food particles. Your body is doing its job. And salt water rinsing will help.

Is baking soda safe for whitening teeth?

Baking soda helps remove stains. There are tooth pastes with baking soda in them. How many cups of coffee do you drink and how strong do you like coffee? If you are flossing READ MORE
Baking soda helps remove stains. There are tooth pastes with baking soda in them. How many cups of coffee do you drink and how strong do you like coffee? If you are flossing and brushing twice a day and you drink more than two cups of coffee, you are bathing your teeth with coffee. Baking soda is safe. The internet is filled with natural ways to whiten teeth. Baking soda won't scratch your tooth enamel.

Can I have more than one root canal in a day?

Having 3 root canals at one appointment is a possibility. If you are using dental insurance, you may reach your maximum year allowance after one or two teeth. Talk to your endodontist's READ MORE
Having 3 root canals at one appointment is a possibility. If you are using dental insurance, you may reach your maximum year allowance after one or two teeth. Talk to your endodontist's office. If you are financially prepared to meet your patient/insurance responsibilities, your endodontist may be able provide the time.

Does tooth decay in baby teeth affect adult teeth?

A child's baby teeth start to erupt at about six months. It is important that these baby teeth are cared for. As teeth erupt you take a clean wash cloth gently wipe the teeth from READ MORE
A child's baby teeth start to erupt at about six months. It is important that these baby teeth are cared for. As teeth erupt you take a clean wash cloth gently wipe the teeth from the gum line to the top of the teeth. You get your child use to having someone working in his mouth. I always remind parents that at bedtime if your child is using a bottle at night, just plain water should be placed in the bottle. Juice, formula, milk have sugars in them and it lays on the teeth and decays them. By the time a child is around 5 or six years old, the 6-year molars start to come into the mouth. These 6 year old molars are important because these molars will be in the mouth hopefully for the rest of your child's life. The old idea was "the baby teeth will fall out." When you have baby teeth decaying, and a permanent molar erupts into the mouth, this molar can become decayed. Many times, this six-year molar becomes so decayed it needs extraction. Parents should be brushing and then observing the child brushing his teeth until the age of eight. That is what I was taught. The teeth are too important to be taken care of by a young child.

What is the best antibiotic for tooth infection?

You should discuss this with your doctor. Taking an antibiotic in the penicillin family requires that you wait 1 hour before eating or two hours after eating. The stomach acids READ MORE
You should discuss this with your doctor. Taking an antibiotic in the penicillin family requires that you wait 1 hour before eating or two hours after eating. The stomach acids lessen the effectiveness of the antibiotic. There is one antibiotic that is suppose to be unaffected with stomach acids. Penicillin VK doesn't seem to be strong enough. My personal requirement for
an antibiotic is it has to be strong -- broad spectrum. This means it can destroy a wider range of bacteria. You can eat with the antibiotic. I want an antibiotic that will launch an "all out" attack quickly. Emergency rooms give a form of penicillin with a strong pain medication. Taking a capsule of an antibiotic twice a day is not enough. The infection is still expanding and the pain medication won't work. There are other antibiotics that can be used. Talking with your doctor about your concern is a must. There are other antibiotics that can be used.

Can gum disease cause your teeth to fall out?

Gum disease if not treated, may cause you to lose your teeth. Chewing tobacco along with gum disease can speed up the process. Chewing tobacco bathes your entire mouth with nicotine. READ MORE
Gum disease if not treated, may cause you to lose your teeth. Chewing tobacco along with gum disease can speed up the process. Chewing tobacco bathes your entire mouth with nicotine. There are other items in chewing tobacco. My biggest concern is mouth cancer. I am sure your father has been seeing a doctor and being monitored for mouth cancer. Your father's treatment for gum disease cannot be done while he is chewing tobacco. Nicotine prevents healing. It doesn't matter if his gum disease is treated surgically or by laser treatment. Healing time takes months. Is your father planning to stop chewing tobacco? If he is, that would be great. Gum disease, if not treated, will eventually cause tooth loss.

What are the symptoms of a tooth infection?

A tooth being sensitive to hot and cold is a sign that you need to have your tooth checked out. Sensitivity can be a a sign that there is a cavity that is close or has penetrated READ MORE
A tooth being sensitive to hot and cold is a sign that you need to have your tooth checked out. Sensitivity can be a a sign that there is a cavity that is close or has penetrated the nerve. Teeth do move and sometimes the tooth may not fit as well when you bite down. Every time you eat or swallow your teeth come together. Even if your teeth have moved slightly, biting down in a different position can be irritating to the supporting tooth structure making it sensitive to hot and cold. If you have an infection, your body starts fighting it. Your blood vessels bring fighting cells to fight the infection. The extra cells and fluid puts pressure on the on the blood vessels and you feel a throbbing in the INFECTED area. You can have swelling both inside and outside of your mouth. Any kind of recurrent pain is a sign that something is wrong. You need to have your tooth checked out.

Will I experience pain after a tooth extraction?

Discomfort after a tooth extraction is normal. You said that you will be sedated. You will be given local anesthesia so you will not feel any pain for a while. I have found that READ MORE
Discomfort after a tooth extraction is normal. You said that you will be sedated. You will be given local anesthesia so you will not feel any pain for a while. I have found that taking one pain tablet before the local anesthesia wears off starts releasing anti-inflammatory agents as well as pain medication. By the time the local anesthesia is no longer working your pain medication is working. If you have been given an antibiotic take the antibiotics. If both the antibiotics and pain medication are due at the same, you can take them together. Pain medication may not take all the pain away. In many cases, it lowers the pain and keeps you comfortable. Take your pain medicine only when you are suppose to take it. If you are having more than one tooth extracted, follow your doctor's instructions.

How often should crowns be replaced?

Dental crowns will last as long as you take care of them. Your natural teeth will last as long as you take care of them. Flossing, brushing, tongue cleaning has to be done twice READ MORE
Dental crowns will last as long as you take care of them. Your natural teeth will last as long as you take care of them. Flossing, brushing, tongue cleaning has to be done twice a day, morning and night. It seems like it is too simple of a routine. But the days, weeks, months, and years go by fast. If you wake up with morning breath, the chances are you are not cleaning your teeth, tongue and throat properly. (Dental insurance usually will replace a crown every 5 years.) When I am cleaning a patient's teeth and I start to talk about home care, patients tune out. This is the most important time for you! The latest research shows that there is a relationship between gum disease and ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. GUM DISEASE and pancreatic cancer! Gum DISEASE AND UNCONTROLLABLE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. FLOSSING YOUR TEETH AROUND THE GUM LINE. I LIKE FINGER FLOSSING. BRUSHING YOUR TEETH AT THE GUM LINE, BACK AND FORTH GENTLY. YOU USE A SOFT TOOTHBRUSH. YOU BRUSH THE CHEEK SIDE, UPPER, AND LOWER TEETH. BRUSH THE GUM LINE WHERE YOUR TONGUE IS, BOTH SIDES. BRUSH THE PALATE GUM LINE, THEN DO THE FLAT SURFACE SURFACES. YOU CLEAN YOUR TONGUE WITH A TONGUE CLEANER. START IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR TONGUE, PLACE THE TONGUE CLEANER AS FAR BACK AS YOU CAN AND SCRAPE GENTLY TOWARDS THE FRONT. YOU WILL SEE A SLIME MATERIAL. THIS IS FROM THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES ON YOUR TONGUE. THEN YOU DO THE SAME FOR EACH SIDE. RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH SALT WATER AND GARGLE. WATER IRRIGATORS ARE GOOD FOR FLUSHING OUT SMALL particles of food and debris. This routine should make you realize how good your mouth feels. If you do not change your home care program, you will continue to increase the damage.

Will cavities require root canals?

Visiting your dentist twice a year is necessary to make sure that if you have any gum problems or cavities, taking care of them, will restore your mouth health. Neglecting your READ MORE
Visiting your dentist twice a year is necessary to make sure that if you have any gum problems or cavities, taking care of them, will restore your mouth health. Neglecting your dental problems causes more damage and increases the cost to restore your mouth. Cavities are not going to heal themselves and gum disease needs you to start taking a new approach to actively cleaning your mouth MORNING and NIGHT. THE LONGER YOU WAIT TO FIX A CAVITY, THE DEEPER IT GETS. IF YOU WAIT TOO LONG AND THE NERVE GETS INVOLVED, YOU MAY BE DECIDING ABOUT ROOT CANAL. ROOT CANAL IS NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL. TAKING CARE OF PROBLEMS WHILE THEY ARE SMALL IS THE BEST ADVICE.

Can I treat bleeding gums at home?

Bleeding gums is usually a sign of gum disease. You stated you will need a new toothbrush soon. If you are brushing and flossing on a regular schedule, your gums should not be READ MORE
Bleeding gums is usually a sign of gum disease. You stated you will need a new toothbrush soon. If you are brushing and flossing on a regular schedule, your gums should not be bleeding. You may be brushing harder than usual. Doing the same thing over and over we can speed up the flossing and brushing and missing areas. One method of brushing is to PLACE the toothbrush at the gum line - half tooth, half gum. THEN YOU take your soft toothbrush and make tiny circles. You start off with tiny circles and gradually the circle becomes a large circle. You start off at the lower TEETH gum line and go up to the upper teeth gum line one big circle. Your brushing is now up and down. BRUSHING up and down, you miss the between teeth area. BACK and forth GENTLY is a good massage. You do the CHEEK SIDE upper and lower, the side where your TONGUE rests. THEN YOU DO THE PALATE GUM LINE. BRUSH THE FLAT SURFACES. YOU CLEAN YOUR TONGUE WITH A TONGUE CLEANER. RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH SALT WATER AND GARGLE. WATER IRRIGATORS ARE good for bathing the tissues and removing small food particles. Placing salt water in the irrigator is also good. WATER IRRIGATORS are a benefit for those who can't FINGER FLOSS. IT IS GOOD TO REVIEW HOME CARE WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR CHECK UP. AS THE RESEARCH IS ADVANCING. CHANGES IN MOUTH CARE WILL BE OCCURRING.

Why are some fillings replaced?

Fillings are replaced when there is something wrong with the filling. You may have been bitting on something hard. Ice chewing can fracture a filling. Sometimes a cookie or cake READ MORE
Fillings are replaced when there is something wrong with the filling. You may have been bitting on something hard. Ice chewing can fracture a filling. Sometimes a cookie or cake can have a piece of a nut shell. Cherry pits. When a filling is cracked, food particles can get between the cack and the tooth, leak down to the bottom of the filling. You can't CLEAN there and
the tooth can decay. The filling materials today are great. Using your teeth like tools is risky. As we get older, our teeth can become brittle. If you are biting on something hard and you get that feeling, maybe you should stop -- listen to that feeling.

When should my wisdom teeth be removed?

Check with your doctor. If the wisdom teeth are not causing you any problems, you can floss behind each tooth to remove plaque and food particles; you feel no pressure or pain READ MORE
Check with your doctor. If the wisdom teeth are not causing you any problems, you can floss behind each tooth to remove plaque and food particles; you feel no pressure or pain and your teeth have not started to overlap and crowd. The root structure of each wisdom tooth has no problem. Only one person out of 25 has room for all four. WISDOM teeth come into the mouth last. If these two teeth fit into your dental arch, and there are no problems, discuss it with your doctor what you would like to do.

Do crowns on front teeth look natural?

Advances in technology allows your doctor to be more creative. In the past, aesthetics were compromised due to the materials available. Today, aesthetics is the main focus.

Can anyone get dental implants?

I am sorry about your son's front tooth. Your son's body and mouth are still growing. Usually, for a male, around age 22. his body will stop growing. BECAUSE growth makes changes READ MORE
I am sorry about your son's front tooth. Your son's body and mouth are still growing. Usually, for a male, around age 22. his body will stop growing. BECAUSE growth makes changes to the way teeth are positioned in your son's mouth, placing even a crown should not be done. Even with a removable appliance, you will find you may have to replace it as your son is growing. You should keep in touch with your son's dentist. Your son should be monitored.

Is it ever too late to get dental implants?

You can have your implant. Implants ideally are meant to be placed in adults who know what a good service it is, will take care of the implant(s). I know of patients who are in READ MORE
You can have your implant. Implants ideally are meant to be placed in adults who know what a good service it is, will take care of the implant(s). I know of patients who are in their 90's who are able to take care them. Implants can be placed once the patient has finished the growth process.

What is the downside of dental implants?

Dental implants are a good service. The most important job you have is to take care of them. With your own teeth, do you floss, brush, clean your tongue? Just as you will get READ MORE
Dental implants are a good service. The most important job you have is to take care of them.
With your own teeth, do you floss, brush, clean your tongue? Just as you will get gum disease if you don't do home care, your implants will get gum disease. Not taking care of your teeth, your body can handle this for a while, but your body is fighting all kinds of attacks. Gum disease can
happen at any time. Yes there are people who don't take care of their teeth. and all that is happening is their gums only are inflamed. There is no bone loss. If your body's immune system weakens. your bone can be INFECTED and you will start loosing bone. Flossing and brushing your implants and natural teeth is your way of controlling gum disease.

Is Water Flossing better than Air Flossing?

You want to keep all of your teeth.

Can a small cavity heal itself?

There are some ideas that cavities can heal themselves. You stated that these cavities are small and not causing too much PAIN. As a rule cavities don't heal themselves. To stop READ MORE
There are some ideas that cavities can heal themselves. You stated that these cavities are small and not causing too much PAIN. As a rule cavities don't heal themselves. To stop the decay you need to get those teeth restored. The newer tooth colored material forms a chemical and mechanical bond. Gum disease does not get better on its own. Visit your dentist. Remove all decay, and get on a home care program that fits your routine. Keeping your mouth healthy is part of the MOUTH-BODY-MIND HEALTH TRIAD. A healthy mouth helps keep your total health at maximum.