An Oral Health Screening May Save Your Life

Regular oral health screenings are essential in order to determine if there are other problems going on in your body. Oral cancer can impact thousands of Americans every year, but you do not have to be one of them. Take the time to schedule your appointment with Dr. Rice and her team today in order to have an evaluation done and ensure that you are not impacted by oral disease.

The United States does not have a current system in place that helps people regularly be evaluated for oral cancer. This year alone 1 person will die every 24 hours from oral cancer. The reason is because of the late nature in which oral cancer is usually discovered. Just visiting the periodontist on a regular basis and scheduling your oral health cleaning can save your life. Your benefits are also close to running out, so this is a perfect time to use your dental insurance benefits before the end of the year and get the benefit of great health.

Oral health screenings do not just uncover cancer though. Diabetes impacts 29.1 Million people. This number includes individuals who are diagnosed and undiagnosed. Undiagnosed diabetes can cause multiple health impacts including gum disease, decay, missing limbs and death if left untreated.

For more information on oral health screenings, contact Dr. Denine Rice and her team.

Don’t Cut Corners With Your Dental Health

It is easy to fall into the pattern of only brushing in the morning, or only flossing one or two days a week. You may talk yourself into these detrimental habits thinking your teeth and gums are strong, they can handle this mediocre dental plan. Unfortunately, negative effects will begin to break down the integrity of your smile after time.

Brushing removes food from the surface of the teeth. As you eat sugar mixes with bacteria to create a sticky film on the teeth. “This film is called plaque and this process begins immediately after you eat,” says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice.  Once the plaque sticks to the teeth, if not removed, it can attack the enamel increasing your chance of decay and other painful dental problems. Once you have a cavity or you have decay you are more susceptible to other problems with your teeth.

Floss one time a day, either in the morning or at bedtime. If you eat a food that is stuck between your teeth you will also want to floss as soon as possible. There is no other single task that can remove food particles from between the teeth. Food that is left breaks down into plaque and begins to move below the gum line. As this process begins, your gums may become red, swollen and bleed. This is not normal and individuals who floss and brush regularly do not usually have to endure any of these damaging events to their smile.

Drink plenty of water. Enjoy the natural flavor of lemon or cucumber in order to give you fresh tasting water. Or throw some mint leaves in there for a great afternoon pick me up. Water removes food from the surface of the teeth, but it also decreases dry mouth. “A dry mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and more opportunity for decay,” says, Dr. Rice.

Foods That Are Awesome For Your Gums

The foods we eat can impact our smile. Foods that have higher water count help to rinse food from your gums and teeth between brushing.  Healthy dental habits can keep your gums in working order, but you can further help your smile by eating foods that help keep your smile healthy.   

Green peppers are a great way to keep your gums in healthy order. They require chewing in order to break down the food to swallow. This chewing helps stimulate bone growth and saliva. “The more saliva you have in your mouth the more it can help remove food from the surface of your gums," says Dr.Denine Rice. 

Raw Onion is reported to be an excellent source of health for your gums. Not only is it packed with healthy benefits, it also helps kill extra bacteria in the mouth.

Raisins, while sticky, are actually packed with antioxidants and can help reduce inflammation and the impact of periodontal disease. In order to continue to protect your gums however, when consuming raisins don’t forget to brush your teeth.

Green tea is considered among some one of the best ways to reduce inflammation and keep your gums healthy. “Not only does it increase the amount of saliva in your mouth, it also has properties in it that prevent swelling,” says Dr. Rice.

While consuming other foods may help decrease your chance of periodontal disease it is important to get treatment if you find you are impacted by swelling, bleeding or preliminary signs of periodontal disease. 

                                 For more information call Dr. Rice & her team today.

3 Ways To Stop The Excuses & Floss

Periodontists hear all kinds of reasons why individuals do not floss. While cosmetic surgery can fix some of the problems you may have encountered from periodontal disease, you’ll still want to floss in order to protect your new smile. Here are some tips that can help.

1.     Find floss you like. You can enjoy a water pic, electric flosser, and waxed or unwaxed floss. The type of floss you use does not matter to your gums, it is just important that you are engaging in a routine flossing protocol on a daily basis. If your teeth are tight and you tend to break floss while flossing, try to use waxed floss. This can help slide it between the teeth better.

2.     Dr. Rice also recommends you floss every day at the same time. This helps to produce a routine. It takes twenty-one days to establish a habit. The more routine you can make it, the easier it is to have it become a part of your regular day.

3.     Floss even though your gums bleed. It can take awhile before you are able to heal your gums. Continue flossing for seven to ten days. "If they are still bleeding after that you may need to go to the periodontist or your regular dentist in order for them to clean up any bacteria below the gum line," suggests Dr. Denine Rice.

Flossing is as critical as brushing and visiting the dentist. Without regular flossing you can cause permanent tooth loss.

Periodontist and Cosmetic Dentistry

While you may not think of cosmetic dentistry and a periodontist in the same sentence, both have the ability to save your smile after the negative effects of periodontal disease has impacted it, or to increase the beauty in a natural smile. There are multiple options to support your smile or get it back to normal.

 If your gums have receded due to periodontal disease, placing gum tissue into that area of the gums can help restore your smile to a beautiful radiant look. Many times, gum tissue can be grafted using excess tissue from your other teeth.  If there is not enough tissue, Dr. Rice may be able to use tissue from the roof of the mouth to help even out the gums in the front.

Bone loss can cause a smile you are not proud of. While you may have fixed the periodontal disease, you may now be left with missing teeth and bone loss. , To restore your natural look, a bone grafting procedure may be needed  prior to implant surgery. Once your implant restoration is completed, you’ll once again have the smile you’ve always loved.

Periodontist, Dr. Denine Rice can also help change your smile by completing depigmentation of the gums using a laser. This process can remove the color of the gums or to even out the color. By utilizing a laser, this safe and effective procedure that can give you the look you’ve always wanted.

If you are faced with any of these and are looking to restore your smile, contact Dr. Rice and her team.

4 Reasons Why Laser Treatment Is Better!

1.     Laser treatment is comparable in price to traditional therapies. "Some individuals believe that laser treatment will cost them more, but the truth is not really, and some insurance companies will cover this type of treatment reducing the upfront cost to patients," states Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice.

2.     Recovery time is less.   Usually patients can return to work the same day as the procedure. Regular periodontal surgery requires downtime after the procedure has been conducted, as you will likely be swollen for a few days after the procedure.

 

3.     Laser treatment is faster. Traditional surgery takes up to four visits (one for each quadrant) to be completed and the appointment is anywhere from an hour to an hour and half. Dr. Rice says, "laser treatment can be conducted in two appointments because the periodontist does not need to take time to suture."

4.     Laser treatment allows for less pain after treatment. When a laser is used, the laser is going below the gum line without major damage to the gums. There is no scraping and no sutures afterwards, which reduces the amount of pain a patient experiences. With traditional therapy you may also be impacted by infection as suturesd tissue have to heal. With laser surgery you are less likely to have this occur because your gums are not cut. 

Figure out a tie in line for the end please.

Is Gum Graft Surgery Considered Cosmetic Surgery?

When you visit your periodontist there may be procedures that feel cosmetic in nature. Dr. Denine Rice and her team realize there may lots of questions regarding this and so they make sure to sit down with all patients to explain the importance of gum graft surgery and why some insurance plans may not cover the procedure. Gum Graft surgery, when it is completed for a more cosmetic look or to improve the overall look of your smile can be seen by your insurance company as a cosmetic procedure – and plans vary on whether cosmetic procedures are a covered benefit or not.  Still there are reasons why it may be recommended that you have this procedure done which your insurance plan may not consider cosmetic surgery.

If you are in need of restoring stability in order to save the tooth. While a secondary benefit is a great looking smile, the reason for the procedure is to save the tooth. This procedure is not seen as cosmetic but necessary in order to protect the tooth and not have them removed. A secondary reason is due to trauma of the face and mouth. Sometimes, accidents happen, and if this is the case with you, and you have done damage to the gum tissue, a gum graft can rebuild the gum area in order to help restore function to your teeth and mouth.

Dr. Rice may also suggest the procedure, “If your gums are thinner in certain areas this can eventually lead to loose teeth or sensitivity when eating and drinking. If a gum graft procedure is completed it can help build up the gum area in order to protect the teeth.” Insurance companies usually do not consider this a cosmetic surgery.

If you are concerned about your benefits it is always important to check ahead of time with your insurance company to know what they will and will not pay for. If you have any questions about your gum graft procedure, call Dr. Denine Rice & her team today.