The Holidays Are Here!

With the holiday season you may be packing and preparing to go on vacation. Do not forget your toothbrush and floss. There are a variety of options that make it easy to take your toothbrush, favorite toothpaste, and floss with you. Commit to making this important choice whether you are on the road for the holidays or staying home with family.

Dr. Denine Rice and her team recommend you pack your dental travel supplies first in order to avoid accidentally forgetting them and leaving them behind. The holidays are the time of the year where more people forget to brush and floss than any other time of year. Purchasing and packing these items first ensures you are ready for the holiday season no matter what the season throws at you.

The nice thing is these days you can purchase travel size toothpaste, floss, and toothpaste. Dr. Rice recommends keeping it in your purse or carry items so you know exactly where they are even if your luggage does not make it.

If you are one of the hundreds of people who think you will just purchase these items when you get to where you are going, here is more information for you. Unfortunately, most people get busy and end up without these critical supplies for days. For more information on holiday travel and dental supplies contact Dr. Rice and her team today. 

Your Periodontist Can’t Do It All

Don’t wait until you go to the periodontist to improve your dental health. It’s the New Year and now is your time to improve your gum health. While you assume you’re going to the periodontist and they are going to be able to fix your smile, they cannot do the job by themselves.  “They cannot care about your smile more than you,” says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice.  Here are four tasks you can do to help keep your smile in tip-top shape.

1.     Take care of periodontal disease right away. If you have periodontal disease talk to your periodontist and come up with a plan to get it under control. Laser surgery is an opportunity to easily get your periodontal health back on track.

2.     Once you have periodontal laser surgery or other periodontal procedures, follow the after care instructions to make sure you are taking care of your new smile. You can’t fall back into old habits and keep your new smile looking healthy.

3.     Eat healthy. Eating healthy can remove food from your teeth in between brushing. Any fruits or vegetables that have a high water concentration are better than foods that are dry or high in carbs.

4.     Smile more. The more you smile, and show off your new smile, the more likely you are to want to maintain that great new smile. Show it off to your loved ones.

“Your periodontist can work only as hard as you do,” says Dr. Denine Rice. While her and the team want your smile to be the best it can be, they can only guide you to help you make the best decisions. The rest is up to you.

Do You Have Great Oral Health?

Research has found that good oral health habits contribute to overall health. Periodontal disease is linked to heart disease, problems with liver, depression and overall decreased health and vitality.  “The health of your smile can open up opportunities and keep you moving forward in your career,” says Dr. Rice. Employers report they assess the look of a person’s smile in seven seconds or less to determine if the person is the right person for the job.

Take this short quiz to determine if you have good oral health.

1.    Do you brush 2x a day?
2.    Do you floss at least one time a day?
3.    Do your gums bleed when you floss?
4.    Do you drink 64 oz. of water a day?
5.    Are your gums pink?

If you answered yes to all but number three, Dr. Denine Rice says, “You are in good shape.” While a comprehensive oral exam can ensure that there are no underlining problems with your gums or smile, these five habits can keep you moving in the right direction with a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime.

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.

Calcium May Protect Against The Negatives Of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease destroys the enamel as the disease runs rampant through your mouth. As decay goes below the gum line and attacks the enamel, the teeth become weaker, and the disease progresses even further. Research suggests that individuals that consume a higher rate of calcium along with brushing, flossing, and visiting the periodontist for periodontal treatment, may be able to combat some of the negative effects of periodontal disease.

Dr. Denine Rice informs patients that, "Calcium helps to strengthen bones in the body and helps to repair damage in individuals with osteoporosis." So, it would only make sense that individuals that have periodontal disease and consume calcium would find it helps strengthen the bones of the jaw and prevent injury of it. However, there are numerous other factors with periodontal disease and calcium alone can’t fix periodontal disease.

Periodontist Denine Rice understands all to well how important it is for individuals to consume a diet high in calcium and low in sugars to create a lasting smile they can be proud of.   She sees hundreds of patients where dental health has been negatively impacted in large part due to consuming high sugar foods.  She recommends increasing your amount of yogurt, cheese, fortified orange juice and green vegetables – all of which are higher in calcium.

Low calcium intake isn’t the only risk factor for periodontal disease. Other factors include genetics, how often you brush and floss, what types of foods you consume and how often you visit the dentist for check-ups.

Five Tips For Picking Floss

While there are multiple types of floss at the grocery store, not all floss is created equal.  In order to create a positive experience with flossing you want to pick one that fits your needs. If you don’t want to take the time to measure out the right amount of floss, then buy flossers. "If flossers gross you out because the same floss is used between each tooth, then find floss that is waxed or not waxed," says Dr. Denine Rice.

Pick a starting point in your mouth. It does not matter if you begin to floss at the back of your mouth or in the middle. What matters is that you do not forget any teeth. There are some hard to reach spots inside your mouth, however, they are just as important as the front.

Move gently between each tooth reaching each surface. Ramming the floss harshly between your teeth can bruise or damage the gums. "You want to protect them by gliding the floss between your teeth," suggests periodontist Dr. Rice. While we may think that our gums are able to with stand anything they actually are a soft tissue that can be damaged.

If you are using regular floss, you will want to get about eighteen inches of floss and wrap it around your index fingers. You’ll want to leave space between your index fingers as this is the piece that you will use to floss your teeth.

After you finish flossing your teeth Dr. Denine Rice recommends, “Rinse your mouth with a little water or mouthwash. This will help get rid of the food particles and allow you to be ready for your day with fresh breath.”

Flossing Is Your Secret Weapon

Flossing is your weapon against periodontal disease. We know you’re busy and have a hectic schedule, however skipping this important activity just once puts your gums and your body at risk. All it takes is two-three minutes a day to create a fantastic smile.  Dr. Denine Rice says, "no matter whether you are twenty and never flossed or sixty, you can change this habit today." 

Flossing is so important and critical to your smile because it reaches all of the food that gets between the teeth. Food that builds up between the teeth changes into bacteria that then turns into acid and attacks your enamel.  Bacteria weakened enamel creates an opportunity for chips and cracks in your teeth. It also impacts the overall health of your gums. The bacteria go below the gum line creating a pocket that leaves your teeth exposed to disease.

"When you first start flossing you may experience somesensitivity and bleeding," states periodontist Dr. Rice. However, after a few short days of effective regular flossing the bleeding should stop and your gums will be back to being healthy. If you continue to experience bleeding, contact your local periodontist to determine if other treatments are necessary to improve their overall health.

Many people do not realize, your mouth is the window to the health of your body and if your gums are unhealthy you open yourself up to problems throughout your entire body. Don’t let that happen. Starting today get into the habit of flossing.

How Your Gums Are Impacted During The Holiday Season!

 This holiday season don’t let brushing and flossing go to the wayside. We know you’re busy cooking, spending time with family and shopping, but your gums still need your care. Set reminders to brush and floss twice a day if you think your holiday is going to be jam-packed.  It can be easy to forget to pack your toothbrush when you’re rushing to make the six a.m. flight to New York to be with your brother or loved ones. However, the increased food consumption over the holidays and bad eating habits can cause multiple problems for you when you return if you haven’t kept to your normal routine.

            For example, Dr. Denine Rice reports that after the holidays she sees a rise of new patients who have severe dental decay. While your gums and teeth may not be in great shape before the holidays, not taking care of them while you are consuming turkey, stuffing, cranberries, nuts and pumpkin pie makes a bad situation for your gums and teeth even worse. Another one of the treatment areas where periodontist Dr. Denine Rice sees an increase after the holiday is in chipped and broken tooth.  While you’re enjoying the party mixed nuts or hardened foods you may unfortunately chip a tooth below the gum line.  If this situation happens to you, Dr. Rice is able to complete a crown lengthening procedure to help rebuild the area in order for teeth to be replaced.

            While it may seem like a good idea to indulge during the holidays, do your teeth a favor and protect your teeth and gums. And if it’s time to see your dentist, don’t let the holidays allow you to put it off. Call today.