6 Unhealthy Habits That Wreak Havoc On Your Gums

You care about your smile and spend time regularly brushing, but when it comes to flossing it may be weeks in between time. Or it may have been years. “Whatever the case, flossing is important in order to keep your gums in tip-top shape and to keep your teeth for a lifetime,” says Dr. Rice. Here are 6 unhealthy habits you may be doing that are causing problems for your overall gum health.

1.     Not drinking enough water. Water helps to remove food from the surface of the teeth as well as between the teeth. This decreases the amount of bad bacteria that is able to take over your mouth.

2.     Eating foods high in sugar. Too much sugar can increase your risk of decay and cavities.

3.     Forgetting to floss. Flossing is the only way to remove food from between the teeth. Food that is left between the teeth, increases your risk of gingivitis and periodontal disease.

4.     Skipping the vegetables and Fruits. Fruits and vegetables have a high concentration of water. The more water, the better it is for the health of your smile.

For more information on healthy habits to improve your gum health contact Dr. Denine Rice and her team today.

Do You Love Your Gums?

February was the month of love, and perio.org and Dr. Rice were there to remind you to love your gums. But did you? Did you floss more? Or did you commit to brushing 2x a day? Did you visit your periodontist or have a laser periodontal procedure completed? Well, it is not too late. Just because February was the month of love doesn’t mean that March can’t be a month of change.

Millions of adults continue to fib to their periodontist about flossing, but unfortunately this is not something you can hide. Once you forget to floss for long periods of time your gums become red, swollen and may even bleed. As soon as you smile your gums tell Dr. Denine Rice and her team the truth, even before you have time to speak.

You only have one set of natural gums and while technology has come along way and you certainly can be given gum graft procedures to reconstruct your smile, why go through this when you can simply, “Love Your Gums,” and keep them healthy for a lifetime.

Make March your month of change. Find floss you love or a water pic you can’t live without. Take advantage of a sale on floss and stock up. Don’t let one more day go by without sharing your healthy gums with the world.

7 Habits That Improve Your Oral Health

There is no denying that some things are great for your gums while other habits can damage them. Your gums are sensitive and brushing too hard can cause erosion, while flossing helps to keep them firm and healthy. “Here are seven daily habits you can immediately implement to improve your overall oral health,” says Dr. Denine Rice.

1.     Brush. There is no other better habit you can institute that removes food from the teeth and gums.

2.     Floss 1x a day. Food gets trapped between the teeth and will mix with the bacteria. Eventually this causes periodontal disease.

3.     Consume yogurt 1x a day. The bacteria in yogurt is good for the gums.

4.     Drink water. Consuming 64 OZ a day of water helps decrease the bacteria growth in your mouth.

5.     Visit the periodontist regularly if you have gingivitis or periodontal disease. A laser procedure can help to remove plaque and bacteria below the gum line.

6.     Limit or avoid bread. Bread sticks to the teeth causing more problems for your smile.

7.     Limit the amount of acidic food you eat. While lemon and lime can help decrease your appetite and help you lose weight, over consuming these types of foods can decrease the enamel on your teeth. Enamel is a hard substance that protects against sensitivity.

For more information on ways to improve your gum health, contact Dr. Rice & her team today.

Big 5

There are plenty of things we do that can cause damage to the health of our gums and teeth. Here is a list of the big five items you want to avoid to protect your smile for a lifetime. When you brush, floss, and visit the dentist regularly, you are more likely, says Dr. Denine Rice,  to keep all of your teeth for a lifetime. 

1. Avoid Tobacco in any form. Smokeless tobacco posses some of the same risks as cigarettes. It not only causes staining on the teeth, but also increases your risk for gum disease, periodontal disease and tooth loss.
2. No surprise that sugar is a major problem for your mouth. The longer sugar stays on the teeth the more likely it is to mix with bacteria in the mouth and turn to plaque, which leads to decay.
3. Vigorous brushing. While you may think brushing industriously helps to remove food from the surface of your teeth, you can, in fact, can be doing more damage then good. Brushing diligently at the gum line of your teeth can cause your gums to recede leaving more of your tooth exposed and causing your teeth to become loose.
4. Dentures. Unfortunately, dentures sit on top of the gums, not in the bone. Dentures will replace teeth, but do not replace the roots, and the other structures of your teeth. Without the root structures, eventually you can be impacted by your face sagging causing you to look older than you are.
5. Not flossing. One third of Americans admit they do not floss. This has the largest impact on the overall health of your gums. Without flossing properly food sits between the teeth and cause decay and periodontal disease.

For more information on your gum health, contact Dr. Rice & her team today.  

How To Avoid Gum Damage

Don't take chances with your gum health. Brushing and flossing are critical to the health of your smile, and vigorous brushing can cause unrepairable damage to your gums. Your gums do the difficult job of holding your teeth in place. Without them, your teeth would wobble and eventually fall out. Here are 3 steps from Dr. Rice on how to brush correctly.

1. Get a soft bristle toothbrush. The soft bristles can easily move around your gums to remove food from your teeth. This is the safest choice to make when chosing a new toothbrush because it can help protect your gums when brushing food debris away.

2. Brush your teeth in small circles. It is critical to brush the fronts and back of your teeth. This will remove any food that is stuck on your teeth.  Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice says, "Do not move the brush back and forth. This increases the opportunity for the bristles of the brush to meet the soft tissue of your gums causing damage to the tissue."

3. Don't brush the gums. Brushing the gums will cause the tissue to break down. You want to position your tooth brush to remove food from the enamel on your teeth. This will decrease the opportunity for debris to go below the gumline.

                      For me information on how to brush properly 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!

Don’t Cut Corners With Your Dental Health

It is easy to fall into the pattern of only brushing in the morning, or only flossing one or two days a week. You may talk yourself into these detrimental habits thinking your teeth and gums are strong, they can handle this mediocre dental plan. Unfortunately, negative effects will begin to break down the integrity of your smile after time.

Brushing removes food from the surface of the teeth. As you eat sugar mixes with bacteria to create a sticky film on the teeth. “This film is called plaque and this process begins immediately after you eat,” says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice.  Once the plaque sticks to the teeth, if not removed, it can attack the enamel increasing your chance of decay and other painful dental problems. Once you have a cavity or you have decay you are more susceptible to other problems with your teeth.

Floss one time a day, either in the morning or at bedtime. If you eat a food that is stuck between your teeth you will also want to floss as soon as possible. There is no other single task that can remove food particles from between the teeth. Food that is left breaks down into plaque and begins to move below the gum line. As this process begins, your gums may become red, swollen and bleed. This is not normal and individuals who floss and brush regularly do not usually have to endure any of these damaging events to their smile.

Drink plenty of water. Enjoy the natural flavor of lemon or cucumber in order to give you fresh tasting water. Or throw some mint leaves in there for a great afternoon pick me up. Water removes food from the surface of the teeth, but it also decreases dry mouth. “A dry mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and more opportunity for decay,” says, Dr. Rice.

How Often Do You Floss?

A National survey found, more than a quarter of adults admit to lying to their dentist about how often they floss. (Perio.org). While flossing is one of the most important tasks you can do to ensure a healthy, white smile, many adults admit they don’t want to get caught by their dentist not taking care of their smile.  Flossing is recommended by periodontist Dr. Denine Rice, because, “It is the single most important activity for removing food between the teeth and ensuring periodontal disease doesn’t impact your gums.”

 

Brushing allows you to remove food from the tops of your teeth, but no matter how great your toothbrush is, the bristles do not reach down far enough and remove food from between the teeth.  Brushing is great for your teeth, flossing ensures your gums stay healthy.

Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice recommends, “Floss at least one time a day.” If you eat foods that are sticky, or high in carbohydrates, you might want to floss immediately after eating as these foods have a tendency to stay on your teeth longer, allowing unwanted bacteria to begin the process of decay. While saliva will rinse some foods from between your teeth, carbohydrates tend to stay stuck to your teeth until you brush and floss.

7 Ways To Recommit To Your Gums

If you take advantage of your gums, they will eventually begin to break down. Your gums are sensitive and require you to take special care of them in order to keep them in tip-top shape. Here are seven tips to keep your gums healthy.

1.     Brush 2x a day

           While this is not new advice, this is certainly the most critical. "If you’re not brushing, you’re inviting bacteria to attack the enamel of your teeth, says Dr. Denine Rice.

2.     Floss daily

           Flossing allows you to remove any bacteria or food left over between your teeth. While brushing is your first line of defense, in order to get between the teeth you have to floss. Find floss you love to make this an easier process.

 3. Drink water

            Water isn’t only for your body, it’s super important to your teeth as well. Water helps keep your mouth moist to remove food particles stuck on your teeth between brushing.

4. Eat veggies containing water – like celery

            Veggies high in water help provide a clean white look to your teeth. “Veggies not only help keep your body healthy, but they ensure your smile is staying as healthy as you want it as well,” says Dr. Rice.

 5. Eat fruit

            Fruit, like the vegetables, help rinse food away from the teeth and gums.

6. Avoid tobacco products

            Tobacco creates multiple problems for your gums. Not only does it carry dangerous carcinogens that cause cancer, it also dries out your mouth. The dryer your mouth is the more opportunity for bacteria to grow, attacking your gums.

 7. See your dentist as recommended.

            Visiting your dentist on a regular basis allows any problems to be detected early and allows for any problems to be taken care of.  

3 Secrets From Your Periodontist

           

Do you spend time chatting with your periodontist? Well, we did. We sat down with periodontist Dr. Rice in order to see what advice she gives to patients.

6 Ways To Improve Gum Health

Your gum health is critical to the health of your mouth and your body. Both can spiral out of control if you do not get help with your periodontal disease. Don’t wait to improve the health of your smile. 

1. Brush and floss daily. Brushing helps remove the plaque that sticks to your teeth after you have consumed something. The longer bacteria stays on your teeth, the more opportunity there is for the damage to occur. Flossing helps remove any food between the teeth.
2. Visit your dentist regularly and your periodontist if you have periodontal disease. Regular dental cleanings help remove the plaque that sticks to the teeth that routine brushing and flossing are not able to get. Your dentist can also take routine x-rays in order to identify any problems that may be brewing.
3. Fix broken or missing teeth as soon as possible. The jawbone is stimulated by the grinding motion made when eating foods. If you have teeth that are missing, the bone is not regenerated and eventually your jawbone can begin to weaken. This can cause more problems for your smile.
4. Eat healthy foods that improve the look of your smile. The more water a food has in it, the better for your smile.
5. Drink water. Without water to rinse,  bacteria can grow. Bacteria impact the gums and then can cause them to recede.
6. Use mouthwash. Mouthwash can improve not only your breath, but also it can help to rinse away any bacteria that you have on your teeth. And some mouthwash contains products specifically to help with gingivitis, if this is something impacting you. 

Get going today and improve your gum health.

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.

4 Dangers of Not Brushing

Not brushing your teeth is unfortunately not an option if you want a clean healthy smile, because brushing is the only method for removing food from the surfaces of the teeth.

1.     Brushing reduces bacteria which can cause decay

         a.  Brushing your teeth for two minutes in slow circles allows the food to be removed from the surfaces of the teeth. Any food left on your teeth for too long turns to sugar, which eventually turns to acid that attacks your tooth enamel.  

2.     Brushing reduces bacteria which can cause periodontal disease

            a. When acid and decay build up on the teeth it allows for bacteria to enter the gums and begin to cause problems for your gums eventually leading to periodontal disease.

        

3.     Calculus and plaque left on teeth can cause sensitivity

         a. When calculus builds up on the teeth, eating the enamel, it can lead to sensitivity. The hard enamel coating on your teeth is what protects against sensitivity. If you have less enamel protecting your teeth you expose your mouth to the elements of hot and cold.

4.     Bad breath

         a.  Bad breath is not an attractive quality nor is it respectful for individuals who have to be in close proxemity of you. "Brushing with minty flavored toothpaste on a regular basis can help prevent this social faux pas from occurring," says Dr. Denine Rice.

5 Tips When Flossing From Your Periodontist

1.     Buy floss that tastes good to you. Nothing is worse than trying to convince yourself that you should participate in something day in and day out when the taste of it is horrible. You want floss that is calling your name in the morning and in the evening.

2.     If fingers or dexterity are an issue, use floss pics. We know that flossing is a habit that has known health benefits. It’s important to stay focused on what matters when flossing, and that is getting the job done correctly. If you struggle to get the floss to your back molars that is a critical area where trouble may be brewing.

3.     Start with a string of floss that is 18 inches long. When flossing, shorter is not better. You need the adequate length to make sure that you can get between all of your teeth.

4.     Flossing can be done before or after brushing-but it should be done daily. Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice, suggests to her patients, “You only have to floss the teeth you want to keep.” If you’re not brushing once a day, you run the risk of developing deep pockets that harbor bacteria and eventually lead to periodontal disease.

5.     Wrap floss around your fingers and move the floss as you move through the mouth. You don’t want to wrap the floss around your fingers to the point where it is cutting off circulation.  You do want the floss to be tight enough to stay around your finger for you to be able to move the floss between your teeth. Gently move between each set of teeth. When you get to the next set, wrap the floss around your finger, which will allow for a clean surface to floss with.

Floss is one of the underused products sitting in bathroom drawers and under sinks. Yet, it is one of the most important items you’ll ever use. Floss daily and your gums will thank you.

Five Things To Ask Your Periodontist On Your Visit

It can be scary if you have never been referred to a periodontist before. You may not know what to expect and it can seem very overwhelming. So, what should you know before you’re in the chair and a periodontal exam is being completed?

1. Ask how severe your periodontal disease is:

You may think you’re only going to visit once or twice and then you’ll be back on your way to a healthy smile. However, depending on the severity of your periodontal disease, it may take longer to heal your mouth. You may also need more advanced treatments in order to get your smile back to the health you desire.

2. Know approximately how many visits they are recommending:

It is unlikely you have been referred to a periodontist if you only have minor periodontal disease. But you’ll want to know how many visits your periodontist is recommending in order for you to plan ahead financially. 

You’ll also want to be able to make a plan for taking off of work or planning around your busy schedule. Periodontal disease cannot be healed unless you complete all of your treatments and it’s important to do so in the recommended time period as well.

3. Ask what type of technology or procedure they are recommending. There have been several advancements in technology today that can help increase the comfort and healing of your gums. For example, Dr. Rice and

 her team use DentalVibe. It is a technology that assists in numbing the area to be treated by using short vibrating impulses. This allows for a less painful injection. Her team also uses LANAP laser surgery for removing plaque and tartar from the gums. These treatments make a huge difference on the length of healing time and your overall results.

4. Ask about after care instructions:

It is also important to plan ahead for eating and drinking after a periodontal procedure. Periodontal treatment takes time and is a commitment. You don’t want to undo the effects of the procedure by consuming food and drinks right after the procedure that can prevent healing. While your periodontist should cover all of this with you before you leave the office, make sure you have all after care instructions.

5. Know how much it is going to cost:

Your dental insurance may cover some of the cost or none of the cost of your procedure. “Dental insurance is there to help you,” says Dr. Denine Rice,  “but keep in mind most people have no dental insurance benefits at all.” Also ask questions regarding what options are available to help you with your out of pocket portion. Some periodontists have financial plans they can recommend to help you.

Then relax. Your periodontist is there to help restore you to health.