Tag Archives: cavities

Dr. Gentry’s article in The Elm, The University of Maryland

October 19, 2015articles/publications, cavities-before/after, halloween candy tipsarlington, caries, cavities, cavity, decay, dentist, Dr Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, smile, virginiaDoctorGentry

The University of Maryland

Tips for Your Teeth: Halloween Edition

Tips for Healthy Teeth

Eat Halloween candy right after meals. The saliva produced during meals will help dilute the acids produced by the mouth bacteria in response to the sugar and the saliva will help rinse away food particles.
Avoid candy that lasts a long time. It’s the length of time the sugar is in your mouth that is the critical factor. The longer the candy is in the mouth the more damage to the teeth.
Stay away from sticky candy. The longer the sugary candy is stuck to the teeth the more decay will occur. Stay away from gummy bears, sticky fudge and taffy. Stay away from sour candy. Sour candy is highly acidic leading to erosion of enamel.
Drink more water. Tap water with fluoride is best. This will help wash away the candy.
Eat good healthy foods and don’t fill up on sugary candy. You need good nutrition for healthy teeth and gums.
Stay away from sodas and sports drinks. The frequent contact with the sugary liquid will increase damage to teeth.
Chewing sugarless gum after eating candy will cause increased saliva production, which will neutralize the acid in the mouth and wash away food.
Brush as soon as possible after eating. If you ate sour or acidic foods rinse with water a few times first to neutralize the acid so not to push the acid into the enamel. Brush for two minutes.
Floss! Flossing removes plaque and food stuck between the teeth where the toothbrush can’t reach.
Visit your dentist regularly to catch dental problems early, and “treat” them before they get really scary. … Remember good oral health is a major contributor to good overall health.

by Philip A. Gentry, DDS, FAGD
Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry
Dean’s Faculty, Clinical Asst. Professor, Department of General Dentistry, Advanced Education in General Dentistry,
University of Maryland School of Dentistry

unnamed-5 — Halloween treats that Dr. Gentry hands out to trick or treaters

Friday afternoon chipped and broken teeth.

October 17, 2015chipped teeth-before/after, cracked teeth, dental bonding-before/afterarlington, caries, cavities, cavity, composite restorations, cracked tooth, crown, decay, dental, dentist, Dr Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, smile, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

The next patient broke her upper first molar biting on a hard piece of food.

Thursday morning chipped tooth.

October 8, 2015chipped teeth-before/after, cracked teeth, dental bonding-before/afterarlington, cavities, cavity, composite restorations, cracked tooth, crown, dental, dentist, Dr Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, smile, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

My first patient of the day today chipped his front tooth biting his finger nail.

Fractured teeth of the day. Every day I see broken teeth. Here are 2 examples from today.

October 6, 2015cracked teeth, crownsarlington, caries, cavities, cracked tooth, crown, decay, dental implant, dental implants, dentist, Dr Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, smile, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

This patient cracked his molar biting a chicken bone. I was able to save the tooth, and without a root canal, but it did require a crown lengthening periodontal surgery and a crown.

unnamed-22 — Fractured distal lingual cusp.

unnamed-23 — Porcelain crown cemented over tooth.

This next patient bit down on a mint candy and fractured her molar down the root. The tooth could not be restored and was extracted and we will place a dental implant.

unnamed-2 — Fractured mesial lingual cusp.

unnamed-24 — Piece removed, fracture extends down root.

Two patient’s smiles I made happy today.

October 1, 2015crownsarlington, cavities, cavity, composite restorations, crown, dentist, digital dentistry, Dr Gentry, Dr. Philip Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers, smile, teeth whitening, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

The first patient was concerned about his broken down front upper teeth and the gap between the teeth.

The next patient broke her lateral incisor tooth. It is very dark since it was traumatized and had a root canal many years ago.

Dr Gentry explains how sugar causes cavities and that it’s okay to enjoy a few scrumptious desserts over the holidays.

September 14, 2015articles/publications, cavities-before/afterarlington, caries, cavities, cavity, decay, dental, dentist, Dr Gentry, Philip Gentry, toothbrush, virginiaDoctorGentry

It is true that sugar does cause cavities, but it’s not the sugar directly. The naturally occurring streptococcus bacteria that live in our mouths consume the sugar, ferment it, and produce acid such as lactic acid. It is these acids that cause teeth demineralization and the formation of cavities. So it is actually the acid from the bacteria in plaque in our mouth that eats the holes in our teeth causing cavities.

Here’s the interesting part, it’s not the total amount of sugar we eat, but the total amount of time the sugar is in contact with our teeth. It is preferable to have a piece of pumpkin pie with a scoop of ice cream for Thanksgiving dessert, than sip on a soda all afternoon. It is better to have a few sugar cookies, or slice of Christmas apple pie, than to repeatedly sip coffee with sugar all morning long. One Altoids mint or cough drop per hour throughout the day is ten times more cavity producing than 1 big piece of cake for dessert, even though the cake has much more sugar and calories.

The repeated cycles of eating sugar and acid formation is what is the key. It is the frequency, or the amount of time the sugar is in the mouth, not the total amount of sugar. So do enjoy a few scrumptious (and quick) holiday desserts, just please make sure to brush and floss after every meal and visit your dentist regularly. Happy Holidays!!!

Philip A. Gentry, DDS, FAGD

imgres-1 — Article published in The Elm, The University of Maryland

Fractured molar

August 30, 2015cracked teeth, crownsarlington, cavities, cavity, cracked tooth, crown, dentist, Dr Gentry, Dr. Philip Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, porcelain crowns, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

This patient fractured the lingual side of his first molar tooth biting down on a Skittle candy. Dr. Gentry was able to restore the tooth with a porcelain crown and was able to avoid a root canal and crown lengthening periodontal surgery.

crn-1 — Tooth immediately following crown placement.

Restoration of a large carious lesions using the Garrison Interproximal Matrix System

July 19, 2015cavities-before/afterarlington, caries, cavities, cavity, composite restorations, decay, dental, dentist, Dr Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

When deep decay that is close to the tooth pulp is present in a tooth, many times it requires a root canal. In this 35 year old patient, Dr. Gentry restores her upper bicuspid tooth without a root canal or crown. Gentry cleans out the decay, places a Vitrabond glass ionomer pulp cap, and places a Herculite composite restoration, using the Garrison Matrix System.

Cavities

July 19, 2015cavities-before/afterarlington, caries, cavities, cavity, composite restorations, decay, dental, dentist, Dr Gentry, northern virginia, Philip Gentry, tooth bonding, virginiaDoctorGentry

Cavities are permanently damaged areas in the hard surface of your teeth that develop into tiny openings or holes. Cavities, also called tooth decay or caries, are caused by a combination of factors, including bacteria in your mouth, frequent snacking, sipping sugary drinks, and not cleaning your teeth well. Cavities and tooth decay are among the world’s most common health problems.

If cavities aren’t treated, they get larger and affect deeper layers of your teeth. They can lead to severe toothache, infection and tooth loss. Regular dental visits and good brushing and flossing habits are your best protection against cavities and tooth decay.

Some examples of Dr. Gentry fixing patient’s dental cavities:

unnamed-3 — Composite restoration placed

a09693e3-1681-44c5-a852-a1f25b44d651 — Decayed premolar tooth

d79e7376-2bf0-4027-88b2-f3c884e0648b — Opened up to reveal deep decay

274781b0-058d-4202-aa12-b2c02c7112ad — Decay removed

af908175-5d5d-4b71-b71e-d77b97d5fa80 — Matrix band placed

aabd3920-023e-424f-aad1-40d5ea832d53 — Finished restorations

Decay on sides of teeth extending under the gums