6 Dental Habits That Can Save Your Smile

Why fight it, you know you want a beautiful smile that outshines everyone else. Follow these simple six rules and enhance your smile. Suggests Dr. Rice, "While you may find habits hard to break, a little change can go a long way in saving your smile." You only have one set of teeth, don’t lose them to bad habits

1. Don't clench or grind, or if you do, wear a night guard to protect your teeth. Night guards can be custom made by your dentist in order to provide the most comfortable fit. 

2. Use gum that contains xylitol between brushing and flossing. Xylitol is a natural product that does not do damage to the enamel of your teeth the way that sugar does. 

3. Brush, floss or floss, brush after every meal. Brushing and flossing removes build-up of food that attacks the enamel of the teeth and causes decay. 

4. Don't chew ice or use your teeth as utility instruments. While it may seem easier to open up the package with your teeth, in the long run you’ll help your teeth if you get a pair of scissors instead. 

5. See your dentist or hygienist as recommended. "Don’t wait until you have a dental emergency to visit them," says Dr. Denine Rice. 

6. Use an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes can ensure you do a better cleaning and don’t miss any hard to reach spots, especially if you have dexterity issues.

How Periodontal Disease Impacts Your Perfect Smile

  

            An unhealthy smile can negatively impact you in multiple ways. It may take a while for the abuse of not brushing, flossing or visiting the dentist to catch up, but eventually it will and the effects to your smile can be damaging and costly. "Here are 3 negative factors to consider," says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice. 

1. Crimson gum tissue is not healthy and attracts too much attention

a. When you smile or have your photo taken, crimson gums can attract the negative attention you are not looking for. The red color is indicative of infection and will immediately draw someone’s eye when you are communicating with them. This will detract from what you are saying - definitely a negative when talking to a business associate or client. 

 2. The disease loosens teeth

a. Your gums should be a tight pocket your teeth should fit into. Dr. Rice states, "once you have too much build-up, the gums begin to recede and pull away from the teeth." This leaves teeth loose and could lead to them falling out. 

3. Eventually, you will lose teeth. 

a. Teeth can only stay in a place for so long if they do not have the foundation needed - bone. The more bacteria that build up, the bigger the infection becomes, and you are more likely to have your gums receding even further and suffer from bone loss. This may cause you to have permanent teeth fall out. 

Periodontal disease can be stopped by non-surgical treatment early on, or laser treatment if it is severe. Ask Dr. Denine Rice and her team today for options.   

How Does an Outstanding Smile Change Your Life?

If you have struggled with gum disease and the other negative impacts of periodontal disease know that great smiles can be created for you too. The days are over of you living with a smile you don’t love. While it may take some time and effort, it is important to enhance your smile if you can.  Here’s why:

1.     It improves your job prospects. Employers report that they look at a prospective employee’s smile in the first thirty seconds of an interview. If a person has missing, cracked or stained teeth, employers are less likely to offer the job. Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice says, "if you are applying for a front line position, or in which there is an opportunity on you being directly seen by customers." There are several judgments that are made, including that you do not care about your personal hygiene and will therefore, not care for the job or the customers or clients.

2.     It improves your social prospects if you are single. While your potential mate is out there, when they first see you and you smile at them, your smile can change what their response is. When you have a healthy, white smile it lets others know you care about your appearance, and that you are someone who takes care of their personal hygiene. It allows others to know how important your health is to you.

3.     "It improves your self-confidence. Individuals who smile more release a healthy dose of endorphins to help improve overall mood," says Dr. Rice. If you do not smile often, because you are embarrassed by your smile, your self-esteem may decrease as people around you see you as grumpy or mean instead of positive and outgoing.  

Don’t let a less than best smile keep you from enjoying all that life has to offer.

4 Ways To Fix My Smile

An ideal healthy mouth includes enough gum tissue and strong bones to hold your implants in place or your teeth in place, but there is no reason to give up on your new smile if you do not have the ideal conditions. “Gum tissue, bone augmentation and other options are available,” says Dr. Denine Rice, “if you want to improve the cosmetic look of your smile.”

1. If you have early stage periodontal disease, you can begin a structured flossing and brushing routine that will help strengthen your gums and decrease bone loss. There are also certain mouthwashes that help decrease bacteria and bleeding if used regularly. Early stage periodontal disease should not impact your overall opportunity to restore your smile.
2. More advanced periodontal disease that has negatively impacted the gums can now be treated with laser surgery. Lasers can be used to help restore your gums, natural health and to decrease the effects of receding gum lines. Lasers can clean out and destroy bacteria and improve the color of your gum tissue.

3.     Over time, periodontal disease and bone loss can cause your gums to recede. If you find yourself in this situation, there are options for you as well. Gum graft surgery allows Periodontist, Dr. Denine Rice to take skin from the roof of your mouth and place it in the impacted areas. The new tissue will then graft to your old tissue and provide the winning smile you have been waiting for.

4.     If your smile is too gummy for your liking, lasers can easily reshape he gum tissue to highlight your smile.

Don’t wait, if you are unhappy with your smile, get answers about what you can do to improve it.

My Gums Have Receded. Can I still Get Implants?

In order for implants to be successfully placed you have to have a certain length of bone below the gum tissue, and this bone has to be healthy. If you have gum disease or your gums have receded it may make it difficult for implants to be placed. Nevertheless don’t fret because you are not without options. Dr. Denine Rice and her team can assess your smile, bone loss, and gums to determine the best solution to fit your needs. Fixing your smile is not only a cosmetic choice, but it is also recommended to improve your overall health. 

You may need bone grafting or gum graft surgery in order to build up the area around your gums to improve the fit of your implant. The gums and bone allow your implants to be held in place and have a secure fit. If your bone level has receded, Dr. Rice will recommend replacing the bone with artificial bone, if your gums have receded, it can, then require you to have tissue removed from the palate of your mouth and placed around the teeth where your gums are at their lowest point. Without this secure fit, your implant will not have the longevity you would wish for. 

Gum recession and bone loss does not exclude you from the option of cosmetically enhancing a beautiful smile, but it will require a potential extra step.  

4 Problems You Face With Implants If You Don't Floss

Flossing is critical to the health of your gums, whether you have implants or your real teeth. Failure to floss can create multiple problems for your smile. Here are four problems you may face if you fail to take care of your implants.  

1. Flossing removes food particles that bacteria live on.

      The space between your teeth, while it seems small, is actually a trap which entices food particles to visit and stay. The particles quickly become the necessary component bacteria need in order to survive. As the bacteria and food continue to stay, because of lack of flossing, eventually build up occurs to the point of damaging the gums and areas around the implant. 

2. Increased bacteria counts mean that infection lies below the gum tissue

                "As bacteria build up, it imbeds itself below the gum line and causes inflammation and    

                bleeding," says Dr. Rice. 

 3. Increased inflammation occurs and then bone loss begins

                Unfortunately, inflammation causes bone loss. As the jawbone strength decreases, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the stability of your implant.  Periodontist Denine Rice, states, "bone loss can eventually cause you to have to replace your implants or require bone grafting in order to rebuild up the area for your implants to stay firm in your mouth."

4. Bone loss due to infection and inflammation of the gum tissue does not discriminate between implant and natural tooth. 

            The same detrimental effects that are caused by not flossing your natural teeth are the identical problems you can face when you have implants. Bacteria, bone loss and periodontal disease do not discriminate between natural teeth and implants. 

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.

5 Treatments Your Periodontist Can Provide

            You may think your periodontist only does deep cleanings, implants or fixes periodontal disease. However, Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice says, "you might be surprise to find your periodontist has a host of periodontal skills they can provide to keep your smile in tip-top shape."

1. Gum Grafting, if your gums have receded due to periodontal disease or trauma Dr. Denine Rice, can help restore your gums in order to provide the look you want.

2. Depigmentation can be provided with the laser used for periodontal disease. If you have an amalgam tattoo or want to change the pigmentation of your gums, she can use a laser to treat the area.

3. Smoking cessation programs-Dr. Rice is committed to helping her patients live a healthier life. She can provide suggestions and support to get you on the right track to being smoke free.

4. Tissue Recontouring can reshape the tissue around your teeth. Think of your tissue as the frame for your teeth, some gentle and minute changes can in fact make your smile look like a million.

5. Bone grafting is a surgery conducted where artificial or real bone is placed on the jawbone in order to build up the area and help stimulate growth. Bone loss can occur for multiple reasons and may need to be corrected before other procedures can be done to correct missing or broken teeth.