4 Effective Strategies To Create A Flossing Habit

You may believe you do not need to floss to keep your teeth. There may even have been years between when you have decided to floss. Dr. Rice and her team sees the impact every day for people who do not floss. While it may seem that the problem stays in your mouth or does not impact you at all, in fact, years of not flossing can cause a major problem not only with your body, but with your gums and your teeth. Here are 5 effective strategies to create a healthy flossing habit that keeps your smile happy.

1.     Floss at the same time every day. It takes 21 days to create a habit! Get up every day and floss, or before you go to bed, floss. Put it in your purse and floss at work the first time you go to the restroom.

2.     Find floss you love. There are so many variations out there. So, just keep searching for one until you find one that fits your needs.

3.     Visit the periodontist if you are flossing and your gums are bleeding. No amount of blood is normal. Dr. Denine Rice and her team can help work out a plan to get your smile back on track.

4.     Set a timer. If you forget to floss after deciding on this new habit, don’t give up, instead set a timer on your phone in order to remind you to complete this task.

Flossing is essential to keep your teeth healthy and happy for years to come. Contact Dr. Rice and her team today for more information.

3 Myths About Periodontal Disease

There are tons of information floating out there on the web about periodontal disease and the dangers of it. It can be overwhelming and difficult to distinguish between the facts and the myths. Dr. Denine Rice recommends everyone should be well informed about periodontal disease in order to combat the negative impact of the disease. Here are 3 myths about periodontal disease and what you can do to save your gums for a lifetime. 

1.     Bleeding gums are not a big deal.

a.     Your gums may have bled since before you can remember. This does not mean they are healthy and it is a big deal. If your gums bleed even a little bit it is the number one sign there is a concern with your dental health. 

2.     Visiting the periodontist is unnecessary and scary.

a.     Visiting a periodontist is similar to visiting your regular dentist. They will consult with you, evaluate your x-rays, and complete a check-up to see the health of your gums. Then they will let you know on a course of treatment. Nothing scary about it. But it is necessary and can be the difference between paying more for dental problems later on since periodontal disease strikes at the foundation of your teeth.

3.     You don’t need to floss.

a.     Flossing is critical to the success of your gums. There is only one way to keep your gums in shape and that requires flossing.

For more information on periodontal disease, contact Dr. Rice and her team today!

4 Ways To Protect Your Gum Health When On Birth Control

Are your gums bleeding when you brush and floss? Are you taking birth control? High levels of hormones can trick your body into believing it is pregnant. With an increase in hormone levels you may be more susceptible to bleeding and inflammation. If you are experiencing this problem, it is best to contact your periodontist and get checked out to make sure you do not have periodontal disease. Here are 4 other ways to protect your gums.

1.     Brush and floss regularly. There is no other way to keep your gums healthy. Brushing and flossing prevents the buildup of plaque. 

2.     Eat healthy foods. Healthy foods tend to be higher in water concentration which removes food from the surface of the teeth between brushing.

3.     Visit your periodontist regularly. If you have inflammation or if your gums are bleeding, ignoring it will not help it go away.

4.     Know your gum health prior to going on birth control. If you know your gums are healthy prior to going on birth control it will allow you to compare before and after.

For more information on healthy gums, contact Dr. Denine Rice and 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.

5 Dental Tips To Avoiding Periodontal Disease This Year

The New Year is finally here and now is the time to appreciate and take care of your gums. While millions of Americans are impacted by periodontal disease you do not have to be one of them. Take time to heal and improve your overall smile starting with your gum health. Here are five tips to healthy gums.

1.     Floss your teeth. There is no other way to avoid periodontal disease. You have heard this information before and it is not new, but if you want healthy gums you have to floss. Dr. Denine Rice says, “Flossing removes food from between the gums.”

2.     Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal. Fruits and vegetables have extra water that can remove food from the gums and food stuck in between the teeth.

3.     Brush at least two times a day. In order to remove food from the surface of the teeth you have to brush. Brushing allows your gums to not have food on them that increases opportunities for bacteria and decay to spread throughout your mouth.

4.     Visit the periodontist. If you have periodontal disease you cannot get rid of it by wishing it to be gone. Dr. Rice, encourages patients to get a really good cleaning and oral evaluation if they are struggling with periodontal disease.

5.     Use mouthwash. Any food particles left behind with brushing and flossing can be removed when you swish with mouthwash.

Periodontal disease is not a good look on anybody and can wreak havoc on your body. Take care of your gums today.  For more information contact Dr. Rice & her team today.

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.

3 Ways To Improve Your Smile & Your Gum Health

Some people may look in the mirror and think it is impossible to improve their smile. They may brush and floss regularly, but still may find their gums bleed or that they are swollen and puffy. Unless the underlining problem is corrected, they will continue to be plagued with an unhealthy smile.

By brushing 2x a day you can automatically improve your gum health. You need to remove food from the surface of the teeth in order to reduce bacteria in the mouth. Brushing is the only way to accomplish this task.

Floss one time a day at least. Food gets stuck between the teeth and stays there. The bristles of the toothbrush can do a fantastic job, but they cannot do the entire job. Flossing will remove any food particles that are hanging on and creating a problem for the health of your gums.

Take care of the underlining problem of periodontal disease or gingivitis is critical to making sure you have a healthy smile. Without getting rid of the bacteria, through periodontal laser surgery, your gums will continue to bleed or be swollen. And the constant bacteria running through your body can cause problems for your oral health, as well as your general health.

For more information contact Dr. Rice & her team!

4 Warning Signs Of Gum Disease

You don’t wake up one day and all of a sudden be plagued with periodontal disease.  There are multiple warning signs that lead up to the problem. The first sign you may run in to is in your bathroom. There is no floss anywhere in it. Dr. Rice suggests, “If you do not have dental floss in your home, you will eventually develop periodontal disease.”  It is impossible to maintain a healthy smile if you are not reaching for the floss at least one time a day.

Redness is caused when food stays below the gum line and begins to irritate it. Your gum’s natural healthy color should be pink.

Swollen gums are a warning sign you have gingivitis. Gingivitis is the beginning stages of periodontal disease. If your gums are swollen, begin to floss at least one time a day on a regular basis and your gums should quickly return to a healthy state. If they do not and the problem persists you will want to schedule an appointment with your dentist to ensure the problem is not more severe than you originally thought.

Do your gums bleed when you brush and floss? You may believe if you only see a little bit of blood that you do not have a problem. Healthy gums do not bleed at all when brushing or flossing.

Gingivitis does not usually coincide with pain in the mouth. You may believe you do not have a serious problem until it is too late. If you develop any of the signs above, visiting your general dentist, beginning a regular floss problem and brushing regularly can get your smile back to a healthy state.

6 Tips That Can Prevent A Dental Nightmare

Dental decay can occur very quickly if food and sugar is left to sit on the enamel of the teeth. These six tips can help prevent decay or correct any problems before they become a major dental headache.

1.     You’ve heard it time and time again, but this tried and true practice never gets old for your teeth: brush twice a day to remove any bacteria or food from your teeth. Food that sticks to the surface of your enamel can turn to sugar, which then eats away at the enamel of your teeth causing cavities.

2.     Floss at least once a day. Dr. Denine Rice says, "there are hard to reach spaces in your mouth." By flossing you can make sure there is not food debris stuck between the teeth.  Cavities and decay can occur between your back molars and in between teeth that are close together.

3.     Increase your water consumption. Water helps rinse away any leftover food particles and helps rinse your mouth between brushing. It also prevents you from getting a dry mouth. When your mouth is dry it is easier for bacteria to spread.

4.     Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables high in water concentration and low in starch. "Foods that have carbs and starch in them stick to your teeth and turn to sugar," states Dr. Rice. The sugar then turns to decay.

5.     Visit the dentist on a regular basis. Not only can they prevent some cavities and other major dental problems from occurring. They can catch any small problems before they become major dental repairs.

6.     Take care of periodontal disease right away. If your gums are bleeding even a little bit, take care of the problem and don’t let it get worse.

Take Care Of Your Gums This Holiday Season

While you have spent months trying to get your mouth back in order, don’t let it fall apart now that the holidays are here. Dr. Rice states, “Hundreds of patients undo months of periodontal treatment over the holiday season by going back into bad habits.” While traveling over the holidays thousands of people forget their toothbrushes and floss. Many also travel without mouthwash?

Here are some tips to helping you travel and keep your gums happy.  

·      Travel with a brand new toothbrush. PeriodontistDr. Denine Rice recommends you grab a new toothbrush every six months. This is the perfect opportunity to do this. Make sure to find a toothbrush that has soft bristles and has the grip you feel comfortable with.

·      Brush and floss in the morning as soon as you wake up.  While many have schedule changes during the holidays - we have a tendency to stay up late and wake up early - brushing first thing in the morning will ensure you take care of this before the day gets hectic.

·      Bring a small throw-away bottle of mouthwash.  No one can travel with liquid over a certain weight anyway, so, if you’re not checking your bag purchasing a few small bottles of mouth wash can keep you focused on using it, and then throwing away the bottle so you travel home with a few less items.

Enjoy this holiday season with fresher breath and a fantastic holiday smile.

Missing teeth and the consequences

Missing teeth

Teeth and health connection

“While you may think that losing a tooth to periodontal disease is cheaper than periodontal laser surgery, there is a health component to missing teeth that many patients do not consider,” says one of Inland Empire’s top periodontists, Dr. Denine Rice.  Teeth are used to stimulate the jawbone. In order for bone to maintain its density it requires stimulation, which is provided when you eat. The jawbone acts similar to a muscle. Muscles need exercise just like the arm or leg muscle.

         The stresses of bone being stimulated throughout the day allow the bone to regenerate.  However, when teeth are missing the jawbone no longer gets the stimulation necessary.  The bone width will continue to decrease over time. As the width decreases the lower third of the face will begin to drop.

         Individuals as their jaw and chin begin to drop will appear older in appearance. The older you look the older you may begin to feel. Your self-confidence may begin to be negatively impacted by this change in your appearance. With an increase in bone loss the lips may appear to sag and you may look like you are never smiling.

         Dr. Rice informs patients, that as time goes on, your teeth may begin to shift into positions where other teeth are missing. As they shift you might develop TMJ or jaw bone pain.”  Developing jaw pain can cause problems for you when eating certain hard fruits and vegetables. While you struggle to eat a balanced diet your over health can continue to decrease, causing you to lose more teeth.

Electric Versus Manual Toothbrushes

Which brush is best? The answer to that question is: “The one you will use best,” says Dr. Denine Rice of RicePeriodontics and Implant Surgery in Riverside, California.

For some patients the manual toothbrush works well. When looking for a brush be sure you choose one with soft bristles and a handle that is comfortable. Brushing should be done using a circular motion that removes food particles from the teeth and also gently stimulates the gum tissue surrounding each tooth.

“Most often I recommend an electric toothbrush when a patient has dexterity challenges,” Dr. Rice adds. “An electric toothbrush allows for ease of use, especially for those who’ve had a stroke or who for other reasons have difficulty moving the brush a certain way.”

Even the best of brushers need to remember to floss. “The adage of floss the ones you wish to keep is true,” says Dr. Rice. Flossing disrupts bacteria between the teeth in areas that are inaccessible to your brush.

And don’t forget your routine visit to the hygienist. “Brushing and flossing is important, but only your dental professional can remove disease from pockets that surround your teeth.” Be sure to keep your recommended frequency as your dentist is working to keep your gums and bone, as well as your teeth in tip-top shape.

To learn more visit us at RicePeriodontics.com