10 Questions You Have Always Wanted To Ask

You may not have visited a periodontist lately but there may be burning questions you want to know the answers to. Here are 10 of the most common questions that Dr. Rice and her team get asked.

1.     Why is flossing important?

Flossing is critical in order to remove food particles from between the teeth. Without it, food builds up between the teeth, goes below the gum line, and can cause decay and periodontal disease.

2.     Are bleeding gums normal?

No, this is never normal and it can be an early sign of periodontal disease.

3.     Does Periodontal disease really cause heart disease?

Research shows there is a correlation between heart disease and periodontal disease.

4.     Do I really need to floss 2x a day?

                       

                       Flossing after consuming foods, especially carbohydrates, is important to keep your smile      

                       healthy. Flossing at least 1x a day can keep problems from arising, but more is better.

5.     Does a laser periodontal procedure hurt?

No, the laser goes below the gum line to clean out bacteria. There is no cutting or sutures for periodontal laser surgery or for laser curettage.

6.     Is a laser periodontal procedure safe?

Yes, it is very safe. The laser is a high precision laser that works to remove bacteria but does not damage healthy gum tissue.

For more information contact, Dr. Rice & her team!

5 Ways To Create Healthy Looking Gums

Your gums protect your teeth from more than just sensitivity to hot and cold. Without your gums your teeth would not be able to stay in your mouth. As time goes on they may begin to break down or recede. Without proper brushing and flossing routines, they may be puffy, swollen and bleed when you brush and floss. This is not normal and can be reversed with these 6 habits.

1.     Brush regularly.

2.     Visit the dentist for a routine cleaning. Once you have this completed they can let you know if you have periodontal disease or gingivitis and need to consult with a periodontist.

3.     Eat healthy foods. This cannot be stressed enough when it comes to your oral health. Fresh fruits and vegetables with a high concentration of water and low concentration of natural sugar helps to keep food from sticking to your teeth. The longer food is on your teeth the more at risk you are for bacteria to run rampant damaging your gums.

4.     Floss at least 1x a day. While recent reports have suggested that flossing may just be a great idea, there is no other solution that removes food from between the teeth and keeps your gums free from food.

5.     Do not put off seeing the periodontist. Once it has been recommended that you visit a periodontist the sooner you get an appointment the sooner you can be on your way to healthy gums.

For more information on how to keep your gums healthy contact Dr. Rice and her team.

Never Underestimate the Power of a Smile

Your smile is important and it can mean the difference between a ‘job’ and a career you love. Your smile is important and this summer is the perfect time to restore your smile back to the one you love. Fixing broken or cracked teeth can make you look younger, while gum graft surgery can even out your smile line.

If your gums bleed or are receding due to periodontal disease a LANAP laser procedure can easily remove plaque from below the gum line. It is not normal for your gums to bleed, even a little. Puffy, bleeding and swollen gums not only decrease the health of your smile, but can cause you to hide behind tight lips during family photos and special events.  LANAP removes the need for cutting the gum tissue or the need for sutures.  To make it even better, the entire mouth can be done in a day instead of needing to split up the procedure across a few days.

More than 70% of people 65 and over have periodontal disease. But now there is no reason to wait. For more information on LANAP laser procedures, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

Reasons To Fix Missing Teeth

Are you missing one or more teeth? At Rice Laser Periodontics & Implant Surgery they can help restore your smile to a more natural look with an alternative to removable dentures. Dental implants offer a permanent solution to missing teeth, restoring your confidence behind a beautiful, functional smile. 

Implants can help you to rediscover the comfort of eating, speaking, laughing...  and simply enjoying life! You may think that having one missing tooth is not a big deal. Unfortunately, the risk is not worth the reward. Having a missing tooth could cost you the new job you have been waiting for, because research shows that the first thing an employer judges is your smile.

It may not stop with just losing one tooth. Most individuals who have lost one tooth are impacted by receding gums that pull away from the tooth. As this occurs, it is more likely that the problem will continue to worsen if not taken care of and eventually you may lose more than one tooth. Once your teeth begin to fall out, this can make eating your favorite foods more difficult.  

For more information on dental impacts contact Dr. Rice today and see if implants are right for you.

5 Myths About Flossing

Waking up in the morning, flossing may or may not be a part of your routine. But Dr. Denine Rice says, “It’s the number one habit you have that can save your smile for a lifetime.” Here are 7 myths about flossing that you need to know.

1.     Bleeding gums is a bad sign & you should not floss.

a.     Your gums bleed because bacteria below the gum line is impacting their health. Flossing can ensure that your gums stay healthy.

2.     I don’t have food in my teeth, I shouldn’t floss.

a.     In fact, floss helps to remove plague built up between teeth, not just remove food from between the teeth.

3.     Flossing is only for older individuals.

a.     Flossing can begin as soon as your child as their first tooth. The earlier you start the habit, the more likely they are to continue the habit into adulthood.

4.     Flossing can damage your gums.

a.     Flossing helps to save your gums not damage them. You do need to be careful when flossing to make sure you are gently pulling the floss between the teeth. Do not dig the floss in the gum.

5.     You cannot floss because your teeth overlap.

a.     “While this can make it more difficult to floss,” says, Dr. Rice, “it is not an excuse to stop.” It is recommended that you utilize a waxed floss to help with this. 

For more myths about floss, contact Dr. Rice & her team today!

Create A Flawless Smile

If you think achieving a cosmetically beautiful smile is out of your reach, periodontist Dr. Denine Rice and her team are here to help. There are lots of ways you can achieve the smile of your dreams. Here are 4 Tips from Dr. Rice on how to create a flawless smile.

1.     Floss. There is no other way to say it and no single piece of dental activity that helps you achieve the smile you were born to have. While millions of individuals say they floss, they in fact don’t. If you are struggling to floss regularly, Dr. Rice recommends you do some research to find floss that suits your needs and helps you create this necessary regime to your dental routine.

2.     Drink water. Drinking water helps to reduce bacteria in the mouth. A dry mouth is a breeding ground for dental problems. The more water you consume the less opportunity bacteria has to reek havoc. Water can also reduce the food left on your teeth from high carbohydrate foods.

3.     Consume healthy fruits and vegetables. This advice has as much to do with improving your overall health as it does in creating a healthy and flawless smile. The more fruits and vegetables you consume with a high water concentration the more food that is stuck to the teeth is removed. It also decreases bacteria that causes decay. Fruits and vegetables do not tend to stick to the teeth.

4.     Check out if you are a candidate for a laser periodontal procedure to reduce your risk of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease not only impacts the look of your smile, but your overall health as well.

Don’t live with a smile you don’t love, implement these 4 tips and create the smile you want for a lifetime.

Is Laser Surgery Safe For Women Who Are Pregnant?

Periodontal disease is an infection that is prevalent in the body. Research suggests that women who are pregnant and have periodontal disease are more likely to have smaller babies and babies who are premature. Dr. Rice states, "anyone who is expecting and has an infection should have a checkup by a periodontist in order to create a plan on how to best support gum health during pregnancy." The great news is, that if you are a candidate for laser surgery, it is safe for women who are pregnant. 

Some individuals may not recommend periodontal surgery for women who are pregnant due to the necessity of local anesthetic. There is good news; most of the time laser periodontal surgery can be done without the need for any anesthetic. 

The laser goes below the gum line, in order to remove bacteria that is below the gum line and causing periodontal disease. This means it can be done without having to cut the gums away from the teeth. This revolutionary breakthrough provides patients with an opportunity to have less pain, less healing time and less of a need for pain medication afterwards. 

Prior to getting laser surgery, talk to your doctor and Dr. Denine Rice to determine if you are a candidate for laser periodontal surgery prior to delivering your baby.