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.  

Love Your Gums with Cosmetic Procedures

Cosmetic dentistry may be something you have been considering for a long time. Are you unsure how your cosmetic periodontist can help? Here are three tips that Dr. Rice recommends for patients who are unhappy with their smile. 

1. Evaluate the overall health of your gums. Do they bleed when you floss or brush? Are there signs of decay? Are gums uneven when you smile? Do they appear puffy, swollen and/or have lost their healthy pink color? These are all signs that you may have periodontal disease. Prior to any other cosmetic procedures, it is important to get your gum health back to normal.
2. Are you missing any teeth? This can be embarrassing when you go for a job interview. You may have become accustomed to lip smiling, however employers report that a smile is one of the first things they evaluate when interviewing a new employee. If you have missing or broken teeth, there are a variety of options to replace the missing teeth.
3. A gum graft procedure is a fantastic cosmetic procedure that can even out the appearance of your gums. If they are uneven in the front due to trauma or periodontal disease, using the skin from the roof of your mouth can allow your smile to be beautiful again.

Your smile is important, don’t wait for cosmetic dentistry to regain the health and beauty of your smile. 

What Would You Rather Do?

Periodontal research found that more than a third of Americans would rather do a chore they hate, than brush their teeth, (Perio.org).  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 3 Tips from Dr. Rice on how to increase the fun of flossing and decrease your risk of periodontal problems.

1.     Floss with vigor and pizazz.  Don’t just let your floss do the work, have fun with it. Put on music and dance while you floss or put your favorite movie on. Do whatever you have to do to lighten up the mood and remove the stress you feel surrounding flossing.

2.     Floss everyday at the same time. “If you floss at the same time says,” Dr. Denine Rice, “it will help it become less of a problem and more of a routine.” The more routine the more likely you are to miss the opportunity to floss your teeth and keep your smile healthy.

3.     Change your mantra. We love to do things we find fun and that we love. But if you begin the negative talk as soon as you pick up the floss, it can make two minutes of flossing seem like forever.

For more information on flossing techniques contact Dr. Rice & her team today.

Laser Surgery Can Save Your Smile

When you hear the word laser surgery, you may be concerned about the price, or the damage that a laser may cause to your gums. It may sound new age, and you may be wondering how a tiny laser can remove bacteria from your gums and improve your dental health. But lasers have been improved and are now getting you the most out of your money when it comes to improving the overall health of your gums.

Having unhealthy gums can cost you more than you think.  If you do not get treatment for periodontal disease, it can lead to major problems and not just tooth loss. Dr. Rice states, “You can begin to lose teeth and bone as your gums begin to pull away from the teeth. Decay and bacteria can also spread through the body causing medical problems as well. Periodontal disease has been linked to heart disease and liver problems.

Laser periodontal surgery allows a fine laser to go below the gum line and clean out the bacteria without having to cut the gums. This allows for faster recovery time, less time off of work, and more time spending the holidays with family and friends. Laser surgery only requires usually two main appointments as opposed to traditional laser surgery. This also reduces the amount of money to be spent overall on surgery.

Once laser surgery is completed you usually can resume normal activity, and after a few days you can resume normal eating. In order to set up your consultation today for a better smile tomorrow, contact Dr. DenineRice & her team.  

3 Reasons Why You Should Have A CPE!

A comprehensive periodontal evaluation helps the periodontist determine how healthy your gums and smile are. There is more to the health of your mouth then just whether your gums bleed or not. This comprehensive exam provides your periodontist with a way to see the entire mouth and evaluate how to best provide for your treatment. This exam will consist of looking at six different areas. Prior to your insurance benefits running out, it is important to look at how healthy your mouth really is.

A comprehensive periodontal exam can let the periodontist know exactly what type of treatment you need in order to improve your smile. You may have gingivitis, periodontal disease or plaque that has built up. This exam will help determine the best course of action and what you need in order to get your smile back on track.

Bone can impact the way your smile works as well as the ability to hold teeth. It is important to keep this in mind, especially if you have missing teeth due to periodontal disease. Dr. Rice and her team recommend a comprehensive exam to help evaluate the bone structure and whether you are a candidate for an implant. 

Contact Periodontist Dr. Rice and her team today in order to set up your comprehensive periodontal exam to

Say, “I Do!”

This insurance year, say “I do to your smile,” and complete a thirty-day flossing challenge to enhance your smile,” recommends Dr. Rice. Periodontal disease in most Americans is caused by not flossing. The only way to reduce your chance of periodontal disease is to floss your teeth and remove the food that builds up on the sides of your teeth. This season, before your insurance runs out get in to your periodontal specialist if you are out of care and then agree to floss everyday for thirty-days and see if this makes a difference in the overall health of your smile.

While you are changing and committing to have a healthier you, it is important to get any recommended periodontal procedure done to remove bacteria from your gums that is causing your periodontal disease to be worse. You only have one set of gums, it is important to keep them in healthy, working condition. Prior to your insurance benefits running out for the year take advantage of this awesome opportunity to improve your gum health.

There is no reason to wait until you lose a tooth or until your periodontal disease impacts your smile before committing to gum health. Not only does decay impact your smile when left untreated, but it can impact your entire body as well.

This year take advantage of your dental benefits and say yes to your smile.

For more information contact, Dr. Denine Rice & her team today.