dental exam

Dental Exams 101

Everyone knows that regular dental appointments are important to dental health. It’s recommended that you visit your dentist every 6 months to stay up to date with your dental hygiene. At your first appointment at Philadelphia Dentistry you will receive a free dental exam along with free cavity detection x-rays. Here is what your dentist wants you to know during your dental exam. It’s important to know that you should change your toothbrush every 3 months. Most toothbrushes get worn out and have bacteria on them after 3 months of use. This is why it’s important to change your toothbrush … Read more…

Do I Need To Visit the Dentist While I am in Braces?

Many patients when starting orthodontics wonder why they need to continue seeing their general dentist for check-ups and cleanings regularly since they are seeing the orthodontist every month. Dr. Cirka and Dr. Meier stress to each and every patient that is seeing us or seeing the orthodontist for braces or for Invisalign that it is extremely important to continue with regular check-ups and cleanings. The most important reason to see the dentist regularly is so that the hygienist can remove the plaque and tartar that builds up. With orthodontic brackets and wires, there are loads more nooks and crannies where … Read more…

Piercings and Tattoos In Your Mouth – What Are The Risks?

Patients will often ask about piercings and tattoos in the mouth and how it could affect their teeth. In addition to affecting your teeth, there are a lot of potential issues that could pop up from oral piercings and tattoos that affect your overall health, not only in the mouth. As body piercing and tattoos become more popular, it is important to understand the risks associated with them as well as to know what these risks are. Below I will detail six potential problems of piercings and tattoos in the oral cavity that you should be aware of: Harm to … Read more…

Root Canals: Why Do They Get Such a Bad Rep?

Whenever patients hear the words “root canal” they all do the same thing: cringe. Every time I talk to patients about the procedure I first have to talk them off of a ledge. Each of them has heard a terrible story about someone, someplace, that had the worst experience with their root canal procedure and that they would not wish their worst enemy to need one. Why is this the case? Well, in some circumstances root canals CAN cause pain. These are the stories that we hear about. If a patient has not been going into the dentist regularly for … Read more…

WaterPiks vs Flossing: What’s the difference?

There are many benefits to using floss and to using a WaterPik. Patients often ask me about which is better and if one replaces the other. My answer to patients is always this: you should use what works best for you and what you feel most comfortable with. It really is a case by case basis depending on many factors that will be addressed below. I do not believe that a WaterPik is a replacement for dental floss; however, for patients that admit to me that they hate flossing and won’t do it, I do tell them to invest in … Read more…

Should I try Oil-Pulling? What Is It?

Oil-pulling has become increasingly popular as homeopathic remedies are becoming more prevalent. While this trend is growing, it is certainly not a new exercise. The practice of oil-pulling dates back over three thousand years ago to India with the practice of Ayurveda medicine. “Ayurveda” brings together the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (knowledge or science). Practiced in India, Ayurvedic medicine is one of the oldest known systems of medicine in the world. The typical way one performs oil-pulling is by swishing around one tablespoon of coconut oil in their mouth for twenty minutes and then spitting it out. Other common oils that can … Read more…

Why Your Teeth May Be Sensitive to Hot or Cold

Tired of avoiding foods and beverages you like simply because of the temperature?  Read on to learn about 6 of the reasons your teeth may be sensitive to hot or cold, which is the first step to remedy! Cavities If there are cavities growing inside of your teeth it can cause them to be sensitive. Often the temperature sensitivity is an indication that the bacteria have reached the nerve inside of the tooth which could mean that the tooth requires a root canal. Gum Infection There is bacteria in everyone’s mouths that can lead to a gum infection in the mouth. This … Read more…

Headaches and Sinus Pain: Can a tooth be the culprit?

Our teeth and sinus cavity have a connection that can affect patients in many ways. Pressure in the sinus can be awful and cause pain in your eyes, ears, head, and even in your teeth. The sinus cavity is the area of the skull where air passes through before moving to the lungs. It is here that the air first gets warm and wet. Our body usually can fight bacteria in this air that passes through by producing mucous. Sometimes the bacteria are too strong and when this occurs the bacteria cause infections by growing aggressively. There are several different … Read more…

5 Warning Signs of Problematic Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in the mouth. They are the last molars on the upper and lower teeth and usually erupt in late teen years or the early twenties. Since the wisdom teeth come in last, sometimes there is not enough room in the mouth to accommodate them. When there is not enough room it causes the wisdom teeth to become partially or fully impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause major problems for patients. These issues may not necessarily show signs that you can see but they can definitely cause pain. Here are four indicators of … Read more…

Why Is My Mouth So Dry?!

Patients often come into the office complaining of dry mouth. Sometimes having a dry mouth can be so bad that it wakes patients up from their sleep and can be a constant struggle throughout the day. Dry mouth is not only very uncomfortable; it can lead to serious health problems for you. How do I know if I have Dry Mouth? What are the Symptoms? A dry, almost sticky feel in your mouth Cracked lips Trouble tasting Trouble speaking Trouble chewing and /or swallowing Burning feeling in the mouth and throat A dry feeling in the throat Cracked lips An … Read more…