Philly Dentistry

It’s the holiday season and that means all of the treats are coming out! Holiday treats are always fun to enjoy. The sugar cookies, cakes, pies…mmm mmm mmm, we can’t get enough. We want you to enjoy all the treats too, but don’t forget to take care of your teeth. It is so important to stay consistent with good oral health. You don’t want to fall into any bad habits and start your new year in the dentist’s office because of cavities, mouth pain, or any infections. To help you stay on track, we made a list of tips to help you maintain your oral health during the holidays!

1. Stick to the normal routine. Be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss. This is the easiest way to ensure your smile is staying on track.
2. Schedule your post-holiday cleaning now. Prepare in advance and have this one already set. Plus, if you know you have a date with your hygienist, it might influence you to floss more!
3. Drink plenty of that H2O! Drinking water has so many benefits, but particularly for your oral health, water should be your best friend. Drinking water can freshen your breath, and help clean away bacteria in your mouth.
4. Don’t use your teeth for anything besides eating. Your teeth are not bottle opening or present opening tools. You don’t want to crack a tooth doing something like this. Keep your teeth intact and only use them when eating!
5. Make yourself a to-go dental kit. You never know when you’re going to wind up staying out for the night so a to-go dental kit is a great way to stay prepared. Use a Ziplock bag to store a toothbrush, a travel size toothpaste, and a pack of floss. You will be ready for any situation!

Halloween is coming, and if you don’t brush so will the cavities! Halloween is a fun time to enjoy all your favorite candies. However, it is important to eat treats in moderation and to brush right after. National Brush Day is celebrated on November 1st, the day after Halloween, to reinforce the importance of dental health and promote good brushing habits!

How to brush?

Let’s go over the correct way to brush your teeth. First, position your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Next, gently move the toothbrush up and down in short strokes. Then, brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Be sure to use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using gentle strokes! Finally, brush your tongue to remove any bacteria and to freshen your breath.

Want more tips? We got you!

• Be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes each.
• Use toothpaste that contains fluoride.
• Floss daily to remove particles your toothbrush didn’t catch.
• Visit your hygienist every 6 months.

It’s also important to know when it’s time to replace your toothbrush. Always rinse your toothbrush with water after brushing. Store it in an upright position and let it air dry rather than placing it in a closed container. Toothbrush caps only create the growth of bacteria. The general rule of thumb is to replace your toothbrush every 3 months. Replace it sooner if you notice the bristles bending up or if you were recently sick.

All in all, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene in order to take care of yourself. Good oral health reflects good overall health. Give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to book your next cleaning! In the meantime, let’s get connected on social media! We love seeing our patient’s photos throughout their smile journey. Tag us @phillydentistry to be featured on our channels.

Did you know that 1 in 12 people clench or grind their teeth while they sleep? Teeth grinders can experience migraines, sore teeth, an aching jaw, and even morning headaches. By grinding or clenching while you sleep, you are damaging your teeth without even knowing it. This can result in chipping a tooth, wearing down your enamel, and jaw pains. One of the main factors that result in teeth grinding is stress. By managing your stress and wearing a custom-made nightguard you can relieve pain and protect your teeth at the same time. Let’s talk about some reasons why wearing a nightguard is so crucial.

1. Prevents damage

   When you are grinding and clenching your teeth you are wearing down your enamel, which in turn puts you at a higher risk of chipping, breaking, and damaging your teeth. Wearing a nightguard that shapes perfectly to your teeth will prevent your upper teeth from grinding and clenching with your lower teeth. This allows you to protect your smile!

2. Stress relief

   Nightguards are so comfortable that you will hardly feel it in your mouth. By having a nightguard molded specifically to your teeth, it reduces the stress that typically would be placed on your jaw and muscles.

3. Prevents migraines
   

   Patients often realize a difference instantly when they start wearing their night guard. They have reported that headaches and neck pains are reduced to few or zero pain at all. Your personalized nightguard is also designed to keep your teeth and bite aligned to keep tension off your jaw muscles.

4. Comfortable sleep

   Nightguards allow a better night’s sleep due to taking pressure off your head, jaw, and neck. The way your jaw is positioned when your night guard is in helps promote muscle relaxation and reduces stress in your jaw, which will give you a better night of sleep.

5. Financial relief

   If you are constantly clenching or grinding your teeth every night and you’re not using a night guard your teeth are slowly being destroyed. When your teeth are being worn down to nothing you will have serious dental problems. This will result in paying for restorative and cosmetic treatments and in the long run that is an expensive investment.

6. Prevents snoring

   Yes, wearing a nightguard could prevent you from snoring. So, if your significant other complains about your loud snores, this is the perfect solution for you! Let’s talk about how that works. When you’re wearing your nightguard, a small space in-between your jaw is created. This small space increases your air intake, which ultimately, allows you to breathe better.

Getting a custom-made nightguard is very simple and only takes 2 visits. During the first visit, a mold is created perfectly for your teeth. During the second visit, you will be in an out quickly, as the appointment is only for you to pick up your new nightguard and make any adjustments after a fitting. It’s that simple and the benefits are too great to ignore. Give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to schedule your appointment now!

October is National Dental Hygienist Month! This is the perfect time to celebrate our dental hygienists for all the work they do! Also, it’s a good time to educate about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene. Making a positive impact in the community is something our dental hygienists are very passionate about. We do that by treating one patient at a time. We encourage our patients to stay healthy by brushing twice a day, followed by rinsing with mouthwash and flossing daily.

Our dental hygienists address many oral health issues with patients. The top ones are:

• Periodontal Disease (Gum Disease)
• General Oral Care
• Cavities
• Inflammation
• Cancer Screens

A big thank you to our dental hygienists for providing these top services to our patients:

• Education
• Prophylaxis
• Fluoride Treatments
• Periodontal Scaling & Root Planing

The mouth is incredibly important in the systemic function and overall well-being of patients. With that, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene in order to take care of yourself. Give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to book your next hygiene appointment. Our team will get you up to speed with the newest hygiene education and ensure you are in good health. Not to mention our team consists of some of the coolest ladies you’ll ever meet! Our patients tell us endlessly that they look forward to their hygiene appointments and catching up with their hygienists. We build relationships, educate, and get patients healthy. It is our greatest pleasure serving you and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Let’s get connected on social media! We love seeing our patient’s photos throughout their smile journey. Tag us @phillydentistry to be featured on our channels.

Are you looking for a new general dentist? Maybe you are interested in having cosmetic work done. OUCH! You have a sudden emergency and need to see the dentist. Philly Dentistry is the place for you. We love new patients and we have a whole way of making you feel comfortable with your first visit. 

Calling all new patients!

When you give our office a call, one of the first questions we ask is if you’re a new patient. We do this because we want to make sure all new patient callers speak with our new patient coordinator. Yes, we have a whole position in our office dedicated to assisting our new patients. Our new patient coordinator will answer all your questions and get you set up in our schedule. Once you are scheduled and ready to go, our new patient coordinator will start a communication line with you so that we are connected in case you have any more questions leading up to your appointment. We will ask whether you prefer a text message or email. From there, we will send you a detailed message summarizing all of your appointment information so you don’t have to try and rack your brain trying to remember your initial phone call. 

It’s a date.

A day before your appointment, our new patient coordinator will send you a message making sure we are still on for your scheduled appointment. We want to make sure everything still works for you! We only book one patient for each appointment in the schedule so we always want to make sure everything works out. The time is dedicated specifically to you and your doctor. 

No waiting.

When you arrive at your appointment, we will provide you with some light paperwork. This gives us some more information about you before we get started. Once the paperwork is completed, your doctor will come to get you from the waiting area. Your visit will always run on-time with no surprises, that is guaranteed at our office. Check out this video of Dr. Cirka explains why being on time in an office is so important to him. You’re not just another appointment in our schedule, you’re an important patient. So, please give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to speak with our new patient coordinator. We look forward to seeing you soon!

We have the world’s best patients. Our office has been open for over 18 years and throughout time, our patients have chosen to come back to us again and again. We take pride in making our patients feel at home in our office. In return, our patients have shared their experiences throughout the years on review sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Our patient’s feedback is very important to us as we are always trying to better ourselves. We appreciate all of the kind words. So much so, that our team starts every morning by reading a new review. Hearing our patient’s feedback gets our team pumped for the next day! In this blog, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite reviews. These reviews, in particular, brought an ear to ear smile to all of our staff’s faces. 

Brandon S. Review

“Philadelphia Dentistry reconceptualizes and resets the paradigm for the holistic practice of dentistry. First and foremost, they operate with an unprecedented level of professionalism, subject matter expertise, compassion, and dedication to their clients’ needs. They put the client first and consciously try to seek an understanding of any issues, fears, or concerns their clients have so they can make them feel as comfortable as possible throughout the entirety of their visit. Further, their clarity of explanation provides the client with education concerning proper dental hygiene and a vision for maintaining healthy practices. They have not only built an environment that is friendly, energetic, comfortable, positive, and beautiful, but they celebrate diversity – of staff, clients, and perspective — since they place love central to their core values.

What I love most about the office (besides their dental expertise and care they provide-) is how they genuinely attempt to create a lasting relationship with the client – they seek understanding of who you are, what you do, and create bonds of friendship that makes you feel like you are an extension of their dental family. Trust me when I say, not only are you going to receive the highest quality of service at this practice, but you are missing out if you don’t make this the home for all your dental needs!” -Brandon S.

Nikki B. Review

“I chose this office after my husband had a pleasant experience. I also had a great experience. All of the staff were welcoming and helpful. I enjoyed chatting with my hygienist, Alyssa! What stood out to me in terms of care was: they did an oral cancer exam. I have only had one other doctor in my life do this for me! This was also the most educational office I have ever been to where they show you exactly what is happening to your teeth and why. Then they have individualized recommendations for improving your oral health. I was impressed by the knowledge of Alyssa, she went over everything the doctor covered with me, so I got it twice!” -Nikki B.

Billy C. Review

“I’ve been a patient for over 2 years now. Always quick and efficient with their work. I had a filling crack in May and was able to get in the very next business day (a Friday). I had the filling replaced that following Monday by Dr. Ridge and the assistant. After fixing that, I realized I would be away for my cleaning date in August. They bumped me up this week with my go-to hygienist Jen. Jen did my Zoom well over a year ago which whitened my teeth 4 shades and the trays and whitening provided have kept my pearly whites nice and bright with light maintenance. Everyone at the office is friendly, helpful, and informative and they handle COVID-19 procedures with ease and care.” -Billy C.

Do you wake up with migraines in the morning? This could be a sign of clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep. You might be a good candidate for a nightguard. You may not realize the clenching or grinding, but a lot of people do fall victim to it. Time after time, patients sit in the chair and say, “I don’t clench or grind.” However, they are clenching and grinding as they say that! Over time, the constant wear and tear of clenching or grinding take a toll on your teeth.

The key to overcoming teeth grinding is having awareness. Are your teeth touching? Right now, as you are reading this blog, are your teeth touching? If so, that is a clear sign of dental damage. Your teeth shouldn’t touch throughout the day at all unless you are chewing food. Your jaw should be in a constant relaxed state with a small space between your upper and lower teeth. After reading this article, try to be more mindful and catch yourself when your teeth are clenching or grinding.

When you are asleep, it is impossible to catch yourself clenching or grinding. So, what can you do? Here at Philly Dentistry, we can make you a custom nightguard to wear while sleeping. Wearing a nightguard while you sleep can save you from migraines, pain or discomfort, and future more expensive dental issues. The nightguard works as a barrier between your teeth and provides a cushion preventing dental damage. Wearing a nightguard usually provides pain or discomfort relief between one and six weeks of night-time wear.

Our team has treated thousands of patients by providing nightguards. These patients have suffered from migraines, cracked or worn teeth, and discomfort. Shortly after wearing their nightguard, all of that went away. A slight change in your nightly routine can save your teeth. For a free consultation, call our office today at (215) 568-6222! Dr. Cirka, Dr. Jeon, and Dr. Ridge are Philadelphia’s best and want to get you healthy! We hope to see you soon.

To get connected with us, please follow us on social media. We post cool office content, recent before and after photos, flash sales, and so much more! For a chance to be featured, please tag us in your photos @phillydentistry. We love to show off our patient’s beautiful smiles!

Do you feel nervous before going to a dental appointment? You’re not alone. Maybe your scared of possible pain, drill sounds, or even just the smell of the office. Dental anxiety is real and a lot of people suffer from it. At Philly Dentistry, we ensure that our patient’s dental health and mental health are both taken care of. In this blog, we will be going over some tips to help overcome dental anxiety. Use these strategies at your next dentist visit to help ease your anxiety.

Fear of pain

If you are feeling uncomfortable or anxious, it is important to make that known to the dentist. We all want to be on the same page and make accommodations to ensure the smoothest appointment possible. By voicing how you feel, the doctor will know exactly how to navigate the appointment. Try to be as specific as possible as that will make for the best communication. For example, if you are in fear of any pain, your doctor can be gentler or even sometimes administer medication to help ease potential pain.

Loss of control

If sitting in the chair with the bib wrapped around your neck makes you feel stuck, you’re not alone. This is a common feeling that stems from claustrophobia. If you can relate to this, let your doctor know at the beginning of the appointment. Together, you and the doctor can come up with some sort of break system that allows you to remain comfortable for the entire appointment.

Stressed about cost

Dental work can be costly. However, keeping up with regular visits with your hygienist will reduce the need for more expensive treatments later on. In the event that you do need a costly treatment, talk with the office’s financial coordinator. Together, a payment plan can be arranged that is most financially convenient for you.

All in all, keeping high communication with your dentist and the office staff will be the most effective way to reduce any dental anxiety. Being clear with how you feel will allow the team to help you to make accommodations to make you feel as comfortable as possible. You are the patient and we are here to keep you healthy physically and mentally! Give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to book your next appointment.

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and our office wants to help end oral cancer! According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, mouth cancers are newly diagnosed in about 145 new individuals each day in the US alone, and a person dies from oral cancer every hour of every day. These numbers are heartbreaking, especially because the fastest-growing segment of oral cancer patients are young, healthy, nonsmoking individuals. According to the World Health Organization, the worldwide burden of oral cancer is an estimated 657,000 new cases each year, and more than 330,000 deaths. Oral cancer doesn’t stop, but we won’t either. We take oral cancer very seriously. With every cleaning here at Philly Dentistry, our patients are examined for oral cancer. This is something we have always done and will continue to do.

Most people neglect oral cancer and don’t realize how deadly it is. That is why it is important to catch it early. Biyearly visits to the dentist are imperative for maintaining good health. In addition to your bi-yearly visits, you can perform self-examinations at home too! These self-examinations should be done once a month to ensure everything is looking healthy. Check out Oral Cancer Foundation’s website that explains step by step how to examine yourself for oral cancer. They even include a video demonstration and photos of what to look out for.

If you are seeing anything in your mouth that resembles these photos, give us a call immediately. From there, we will have you come in for a professional examination. The doctors are trained to determine what is cancerous or dangerous to your health. Your job is to check in on yourself regularly and refer yourself to our team if anything seems off. We are here to help keep you healthy!

To stay connected, follow us on social media!

Everyone is aware to some extent how certain foods and drinks can affect our teeth. However, the majority of people aren’t oral health care experts.  Have no fear; Philly Dentistry is here with all the facts! We have compiled a list of the top 6 bad foods for your teeth.

1. Alcohol

Alcohol is fun to drink on a special occasion or from time to time. However, alcoholic drinks tend to decrease saliva production in our mouths. This promotes a problem as the saliva plays a key role in protecting your teeth from acidic content. In addition, saliva is used to wash away food particles after eating. With low saliva, you are deprived of these functions and make you vulnerable to infections. Always drink water in between alcoholic drinks!

2. Coffee or Tea

Coffee and tea are two of the biggest threats to your smile as they both are prone to cause discoloration and staining. In addition, if you like your drink extra sweet and add sugar, this also sets you up for enamel damage. Ultimately, if these drinks aren’t consumed in moderation, oral health diseases can arise.

3. Potato Chips

Who doesn’t love a good, salty potato chip? Unfortunately, if you do not floss or rinse your mouth immediately after eating them problems can occur. The starchy and mushy texture of potato chips can get stuck in your teeth very easily. If you enjoy eating chips, be sure to carry floss on you!

4. White Bread

When you eat white bread, the starch is broken down into sugar in your saliva. The bread becomes a sticky substance that clings to your teeth and gums. This could lead to oral infections.

5. Tomatoes

This one might be a surprise, but tomatoes make the list due to being acidic. Tomatoes have the most risks when eaten raw or in the form of a sauce. Don’t be afraid to include tomatoes in your favorite dishes, but avoid large quantities without rinsing your mouth.

6. Dry Fruits

Dry fruit is good for your body as they provide lots of nutrients! However, dry fruits are prone to get stuck in small spaces. When eating dry fruit, be sure to carry a pack of floss!