Do Not Wait For Your Gums To Bleed

Brushing and flossing may seem like a chore some days and an activity you can push off a day or two without negative repercussions, but you should not wait until your gums are swollen and bleeding before you decide your oral health is important. “Make a decision today, to love your gums for a lifetime and they will love you back,” says Dr.Denine Rice.

            Regular brushing and flossing routines are the only way to remove food from the surface of your teeth and between your teeth. Without brushing and flossing the food begins to build up, causing gingivitis or worse, periodontal disease. Once your gums are bleeding, this is a sign of gingivitis the first stage of periodontal disease. No amount of bleeding is normal. You may think one or two days without brushing and flossing is not going to harm your smile, but just a few minutes after eating, the food mixes with the bacteria that is already in your mouth leaving you open to major and minor dental problems.

With regular brushing and flossing habits you can avoid this potentially costly decision and enjoy a healthy smile that will last a lifetime. For more information on your smile and how to improve your gum health, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

Find Your Smile

It can be easy to forget about yourself when you are running from place to place and trying to get everything in your life done. But your smile is important. Take time to find your best smile by having laser periodontal procedure and improving your gum health. Periodontal disease impacts more than just the look of your smile. It can impact your overall health and happiness.

Healthy gums can unfortunately begin to break down only after a few days of unhealthy habits. Brushing, flossing, drinking water and eating healthy can keep bad bacteria under control and increase the likelihood that you will be able to keep your natural teeth for a lifetime.

Once you have periodontal disease, while it can be managed, it will never go away. It will be important for you to keep your gums healthy and begin a periodontal treatment that will clean out the bacteria from below the gum line and restore your gums. Laser periodontal procedures take less time and do not require sutures, which can help you get back to life just a day after the procedure.

Dr. Rice and her team are dedicated professionals who want to help you establish healthy routines that will keep your smile for a lifetime. Contact them today for more information on Laser Periodontal Procedures.

Periodontal Disease Is The Silent Gum Killer

Do you have healthy gums? Or do your gums bleed when you floss? The unfortunate part about gum disease is that people often do not know when they have periodontal disease until the disease has set in and your gums are swollen and bleeding. At this stage it may require more expensive treatment, you may lose a tooth, or it may take several treatments in order to get your smile back on track.

While you may have plaque underneath your gum tissue that is causing inflammation and other problems, you may not know it until it is too late. Dr. Denine Rice recommends these 5 steps to keep your gums healthy and to stop periodontal disease in its tracks.

1. Brush and floss everyday. This is a no brainer and there is no other activity that can remove food from between the teeth the same way. Yet, millions of Americans skip this important step everyday.

2. Eat healthy food. Food that is high in water concentration and low in carbohydrates helps remove food from between the teeth in between brushing and flossing. The longer that food stays on your teeth the more problems that can occur.

3. Visit your periodontist on a regular basis. If your gums are bleeding or swollen visit the periodontist in order to get a good read on what is going on with your gums. Don’t wait until your teeth are loose and your gums are sensitive. Visit your dentist every six months to keep your gums healthy.

4. Drink water and avoid soda. The sugar content in soda can add to the problems that cause periodontal disease. Drinking water can help remove food from the teeth, decreasing your risk of periodontal disease.

5. Use a Waterpik plus flossing. A Waterpik can help to remove any remaining food that is deep below the gum line that flossing is not able to reach. Once you have flossed, use your Waterpik and ensure your gums are getting the treatment they deserve.

Your gums can last a lifetime. You just have to spend time taking care of them. For more tips on how to keep your gums healthy, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

Do You Love Your Gums?

Your gums and you may have a love hate relationship. You may wake up in the morning with a desire to treat them better. But as the day goes on, you might forget that you have to treat them with love. Dr. Rice recommends, “The more love you show them, the better they will treat you.” Unfortunately, left to themselves, your gums may make a nasty turn for the worse.  If continued to be left untreated, this problem can begin to attack your liver, heart and the rest of your body. Periodontal disease can negatively impact your smile, your gums and your body.

By committing to flossing 1x a day, you can turn this relationship around. Recommit to loving your gums and show them the interest they deserve. There is no other way to remove food from between the teeth and no other act of love you can show them that is greater than flossing.

While flossing is the top activity you can complete to save your gums and your body, drinking plenty of water can rinse food from your teeth in between brushing and flossing. Food that is left on your teeth can destroy your smile. But drinking plenty of water can help to keep your smile healthy for a lifetime.

For more information on how to prevent Periodontal disease contact, Dr. Rice and her team today.

Being Healthy Is Awesome

Bacteria in periodontal disease can impact your smile and your health. You could wake up every day, brush, floss, visit the dentist, eat healthy and exercise, but if you do not floss and take care of your gums some of these efforts will be wasted energy. Being healthy and having healthy gums is the new sexy. Get your sexy on today by loving your gums.

You spend time completing all kinds of activities throughout your day. Make sure you are completing the right ones. "Once you have periodontal disease," says Dr. Rice, "you, unfortunately, are never able to get rid of it.” Laser treatment can help manage the health of your gums and drastically decrease your symptoms of bleeding, swollen gums and other problems you may encounter.

          Controlling inflammation in the mouth is the key to decreasing the negative impact of

periodontal disease. Do this by having laser procedure and you can reclaim your

healthy smile. Stroke, heart disease and diabetes are a few diseases that are higher in individuals who are impacted by periodontal disease.

For more information on how to, “Love your Gums,” contact Dr. Rice and here team

today!

Five Fruits That Are Best for Your Gums

With hundreds of fruits to pick from in order to improve your gums and increase saliva it can be a daunting task to determine which ones are the best for your gums. Dr. Denine Rice states that, “You could spend time eating fruit and never really getting the full benefit.”

 Here is a list of 10 fruits that are best for your gums.

1.     Oranges are not only great for your gums because of the Vitamin C content, they also help to increase the overall saliva in your mouth.

2.     Kiwis are another great source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps reduce inflammation throughout the body including your gums. Vitamin C also helps to produce collagen, which can help you fight periodontal disease.

3.     Strawberries are a fantastic fruit that help create a barrier in protecting your gums. Without Vitamin C you are more susceptible to the bacteria that cause gum disease.  

4.     Apples surpass other fruit by a long shot in keeping your gums healthy. They have the water you need to produce saliva and to keep the bacteria that causes periodontal disease under control. 

5.     Berries are a rich source of antioxidants. Not only do they help protect against cell damage they also protect against bacterial infections.

If these fruits are not a part of your daily consumption, Dr. Rice and her team recommend you eat at least eat 4 servings of fruit a day and include at least one of these 1x a day.

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Pick Your Gums This Year For Your New Year’s Resolution

People talk about New Year’s resolutions and how they want to eat healthier, make new friends or regularly complete a hobby. These are all important, but this year make a commitment to restoring the health of your gums and your by smile by making a New Year’s resolution to floss your teeth daily.

Dr. Rice says, “There is no other single activity that removes plaque and decay from between your teeth.” While brushing is awesome and needed as well, food can easily get stuck between the teeth, where it stays and mixes with bacteria already in the mouth. The bacteria can eventually lead to decay, periodontal disease and other problems. Flossing helps to decrease these problems.

With the New Year right around the corner flossing is a great way to recommit to the health of your gums and put healthy habits in place. Not only will your teeth be happy but a healthy mouth equals a healthy body as well.  Periodontal disease has been linked to problems with a person’s heart, liver, and overall feelings of fatigue.

When the ball drops, and you are wondering what you should accomplish this year, give back to your gums. For more information on the impact of gum disease, contact Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice & her team today.

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.

6 Ways To Improve Your Oral Health

While there are millions of bacteria that live in your mouth on any given day, you don’t have to stand by and allow them to take your beautiful healthy smile away. It’s time to begin a strategic attack in order to battle decay and disease to get your smile back to a natural and healthy state. Optimal oral health is about more than cosmetic dentistry or seeing your periodontist, it’s about replacing old habits with new ones that will allow you to have a beautiful smile.

1.     Drink water. Drinking water is the easiest way to help decrease disease and decay and get your smile back to healthy. Water helps remove food from the teeth and keeps your mouth from getting dry.

2.     Eat fruit. Not only does fruit have a high concentration of water already in it, it’s low in sugar,“ says One of Inland Empire’s Top Dentists, Dr. Denine Rice. Foods with a high concentration of water increase the chance of sugar causing cavities and decay and increase bacteria counts in the mouth.

3.     Decrease the consumption of all other foods with sugar in them. The summer time provides an increased opportunity for spending time with loved ones enjoying cakes and other treats. Avoid large quantities of the goodies and make sure to brush as soon as you can.

4.     Avoid soda. Soda has a large amount of sugar and acid that attacks the enamel on your teeth. 

5.     Floss your teeth at least once a day. There is no reason to lie to your dentist because if you are not brushing it will show up during your routine cleaning. Floss is critical to keeping your smile healthy; it is the only option for removing food between the teeth.

     Visit your periodontist and have any procedures completed that need to be done to help keep your smile at its brightest and healthiest.

Talk to Dr. Rice & her team for more options.

10 Things You Should Know About Your Gums

Your gums are an important part of your mouth and require you to take extra special care of them. Here are ten things you should know to protect your gums.

1.     Gums are soft tissue that can be impacted by bacteria from food and certain drinks.

2.     Your gums can last a lifetime if you take care of them. As long as your brush, floss and visit the dentist on a regular basis you can avoid most major dental problems.

3.     Brushing and flossing removes bacteria from the mouth that can damage the gums. Bacteria is found in the mouth in mass quantities. By brushing and flossing regularly you are not going to remove all of the bacteria, but you will be able to manage it.

4.     Fruits and vegetables with a high concentration of water can remove leftover food from your gums.

5.     Gums help protect your teeth from damage.

6.     Decay can go beneath the gum line to cause additional damage.

7.     If your gums begin to recede due to bacteria, it can cause problems with your teeth, as most likely the bone is being lost as well.

8.     Unhealthy gums can cause sensitivity for teeth.

9.     Healthy gums do not bleed and are not red or swollen.

10.  When unhealthy bacteria taken care of, your gum health can improve.

Don’t Dry Out Your Gums-They Love Water!

Are you drinking enough water? Why does it matter you ask? Dehydration is caused by medications, disease and lack of water. As you go about your day, you may forget to drink anything at all because you are busy working, taking care of the kids, and juggling that new client. Nevertheless, you don’t want to miss opportunities to drink a little water. “It's detrimental to your gums to be dehydrated,” says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice. 
Dry mouth means saliva isn't produced and cannot cleanse the mouth of bacteria that live below the gum tissue. While you're moving through your day, dry mouth is allowing all kinds of nasty bacteria to live and breed. This increased level of decay can cause recession, swollen and bleeding gums. If you have less saliva it can also compromise your mouth’s ability to naturally wash away any food you have consumed throughout the day. The longer food is on your teeth and gums the better opportunity it has to cause cavities.  
Your gums are sensitive and can be damaged easily. Without a natural moisturizer to keep them healthy, your gums can lose their pretty pink color. Dr. Rice suggests, “Drink water today for a healthier smile tomorrow.” 

What To Expect During Gum Graft Surgery:

Have you recently looked in the mirror and noticed grey or black around the crowns of your teeth? Or are your gums lower in the front than they used to be? Are you changing what you eat and drink due to sensitivity? If you are, do not continue to suffer. There are options that can enhance the health of your smile as well as the look. The changes you may not have noticed right away because gum recession usually occurs over time.

Gum graft surgery is recommended when you have been in a situation where your gums have receded around a tooth and you need to rebuild the gum tissue up,  or if you have been in an accident that has damaged the mouth in some way. Gum recession usually happens slowly over time. However, once your gums have receded to the point where the root is showing, you may have increased sensitivity and your smile may not look the way you want.  Gum graft surgery is not a long procedure and there are three different types. “While it takes a while to heal, it is a simple process that really improves the look of your smile,” says Dr. Denine Rice.

Whichever type of procedure is chosen, it will help enhance your smile. If you have gum recession, call one of  the Inland Empire’s Favorite Periodontists, Dr. Denine Rice today to discuss your options.

What You Need To Know From Your Periodontist Now That It’s 2015!

 

1.     Periodontal Disease is still detrimental to you. Okay, well this isn’t new news, but we want to keep this at the forefront of your brain. Periodontal disease causes inflammation in the gum tissue.

2.     Your dental insurance benefits have started over. Usually your insurance company allocates a certain amount of money to dental work. If you ran out or are not sure if you have money available contact your insurance company and get the treatment scheduled to get your smile back on track.

3.     Dr. Rice and her team are well rested and ready to help you. We enjoyed the holidays and hope you did as well. Now that we’ve all enjoyed some extra sugar it’s important to take care of making sure you rid your mouth of any bacteria left over from the holidays.

4.     Take time to rest. If you were busy this holiday season take time to rest in the dental chair of the periodontal office. We would be happy to allow you a short nap while we work on getting your gums healthy again.

5.     Don’t worry about shedding those pounds. After your appointment it may take awhile before you can eat again. Just kidding – we pride ourselves on providing some numbing agents to help facilitate a more comfortable treatment. 

Happy New Year!

When are my gums considered healthy?

           When you schedule your appointment with the periodontist you may hear terms such as gum disease and gum recession. These words may seem scary. Your dentist has probed and you have pocket depths of four or greater. You have bleeding gums, pain, and it’s been suggested you have laser surgery. However, there is no reason to panic. Dr. Denine Rice, periodontist at Rice Periodontics and Implant Surgery, “says that her patients have seen fantastic results after the surgery is completed.”

            Once the surgery is over patients can expect to see a reduction in bleeding of the gums. Healthy habits are critical to maintain the success from your laser surgery. You will need to brush and floss twice a day.  Dr. Rice suggests, “that you use a soft toothbrush in order to not do more damage to the gums. She suggests, “for you to brush gently.”

            Although, the bacteria will continue to live in your mouth, laser surgery results have been amazing.  LANAP surgery doesn’t get rid of the disease and bacteria in your mouth but, some patients have seen some healthy reattachment of the gums to the teeth. Healthy gums should hold your teeth in place the way that great clothing fits. When you have periodontal disease you will have more pain, swelling and bleeding. However, as the pocket increases it pulls the tooth away from the gum and no longer holds the tooth in place.

            Depending on your individual results you may need to continue to see Dr. Rice and her team every three months for a while in order to maintain the results you have.  LANAP laser surgery is designed to regenerate gum tissue rather than removing the diseased tissue.  However, with healthy pockets, little bleeding and pocket depths shrinking eventually you will be able to return to your regular dentist for your dental visits there.

Call Dr. Rice and her team today for an appointment.