Category Archives: articles/publications
Dr. Gentry’s article on tobacco and oral health
From The Clinic Floor, How cigarette smoking and tobacco damage your teeth and gums:
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Dr. Gentry’s Article: A New Year’s Resolution You Can Smile About
Here’s a New Year’s Resolution You can Smile About! Ten Steps to Happy Teeth and a Happy You:
- Floss once a day. Without flossing you miss 40% of the tooth surface.
- Brush twice a day. Brush for 2 minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, and brush your tongue.
- Schedule at lease 2 dental check-ups and cleanings each year.
- Eat healthy. Cut down on sweets and eat more fruits and veggies.
- Stop smoking. It’s bad for everything!
- Drink more water. Stop drinking soda!
- Stress causes you to clench and grind your teeth, wearing them down and breaking your teeth. Have your dentist make you a nightguard if you do.
- Chew sugarless gum after meals. This stimulates saliva flow to clean off your teeth.
- Wear a custom fit sports mouthguard when playing contact sports. This helps prevent broken teeth and concussions.
- Smile more. You will feel better :-)))
Dr. Philip A. Gentry, DDS
Congratulations to Dr. Gentry and Dr. Coutin for being voted a Top Dentist again for 2015
Dr. Gentry’s latest article published in The Virginia Dental Journal, October-December 2015.
Dr. Gentry’s article in The Elm, The University of Maryland
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
Dr Gentry explains how sugar causes cavities and that it’s okay to enjoy a few scrumptious desserts over the holidays.
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
Arlington Magazine Article
Dr. Gentry magazine article
Philip A. Gentry, DDS, FAGD
 1831 Wilson Boulevard Arlington 22201703-522-7733 www.caringdentists.com |
This will be Dr. Philip Gentry’s 25th year in practice in Arlington, and he’s enthusiastic about how things have changed. “I wanted to be in an exciting, growing area near the city and close to Metro,” he says, “but I had no idea how vibrant Arlington would become. It’s as exciting as our advancements in dentistry. I love it here!”Dr. Gentry, his partners and patients appreciate the trend toward cosmetic dentistry. Fillings are practically invisible. More teeth are saved with better care and implants. Dentures have become rare. High-tech equipment includes powerful magnification glasses and the Intra-Oral camera that provides a virtual tour of the mouth.Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Dr. Gentry stayed close to home, graduating with honors from George Washington University and then attending dental school at Georgetown University, where he graduated summa cum laude. He spent summers doing research at NIH. Dr. Gentry has been awarded the prestigious Fellowship in The Academy of General Dentistry.Dr. Gentry developed a loyal following from the start, evidenced by families who’ve moved far from Arlington but still make the trip in to see the dentist they love. Foreign Service officers text Dr. Gentry to ask him to squeeze them in when they fly in for a State Department briefing.Dr. Gentry treasures his patient relationships and always obliges, even staying late or coming in early to accommodate them. He jokes that his smiles are representing the United States and need to look their best. “I feel so fortunate to have a profession where I can make a difference in the world,” he says, “one smile at a time.”Article published in Arlington Magazine December 2013 |
Smile and be happy and confident!
Why is a smile important?
When you have a nice smile, it helps you get noticed, makes you more attractive, decreases your stress level and helps to make you healthier. Laughter really is the best medicine! Here are 10 reasons to smile:
1. Smiling makes others want to be around you.
2. Smiling can elevate your mood and make you happy.
3. Smiling makes others around you happy too.
4. Smiling relieves stress and makes you look relaxed and younger.
5. Smiling lowers your blood pressure.
6. By releasing endorphins and serotonin, smiling is a natural feel good drug.
7. Smiling lifts your face and makes you look younger.
8. Smiling makes you more relaxed and boosts your immune system.
9. Smiling makes you appear confident, trustworthy, and successful.
10. Smiling even boosts your productivity and helps you stay positive.
So smile and be popular, healthy, productive and happy!
Article by Dr. Gentry published in Arlington Magazine May 2015