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.  

National Flossing Day

Did you miss National flossing day? Well don’t worry, your gums don’t mind when you make the commitment to them, just that you make the commitment to floss. Flossing may have once been seen as something extra you do to keep your smile healthy. Now days we know better. Periodontal disease can lead to heart and liver problems. If you are pregnant, research shows that you are more likely to be exposed to negative consequences of periodontal disease.

You and your gums are together for a lifetime treat them right. It is important to remove any food left over from meals. Flossing is the only way to take care of this. The longer food is stuck on your teeth the more likely it is that decay sets in. As food continues to be on the teeth, plaque and decay can move below the gum line, causing your gums to separate from your teeth.

Your gums are soft tissue that will soften and bleed when not taken care of. “There should never be a time.” says, Dr. Rice, “that your gums bleed when you are flossing.” If you are faced with bleeding, puffy or swollen gums you may want to schedule an appointment with your periodontist in order to get your gum health back on track.

Contact Dr. DenineRice & her team today.

3 Ways To Use Your Dental Insurance

At the end of every year your dental insurance amount starts over. If you have dental money left and do not use it, the money will be gone. Don’t hold off any longer for that periodontal procedure you’ve been waiting for.

Gum contouring can help to rebuild the health of your smile as well as improve the cosmetic look of your smile. Gum recession can make your teeth look bigger than they are and can increase your chances of decay and eventually tooth loss. Dr. Denine Rice recommends, “Utilize your insurance benefits to keep your smile healthy.”

Laser surgery for periodontal disease can improve the health of your smile. Long-term periodontal disease can impact your body as well as your smile. Once you lose one tooth, due to periodontal disease, you are more likely to lose more.

Crown lengthening is an in-depth procedure utilized to improve the length of the tooth. This procedure is designed to improve the overall shape and look of your smile. Sometimes, due to damage, periodontal disease or trauma, the length of the tooth can become uneven looking. Dr. Rice suggests this procedure for patients who are looking to restore the health and look of their smile.

Your insurance benefits are yours to use. Contact Dr. Rice & her team today for more information.

5 Tips To Flossing

Flossing is the key dental habit you need in order to prevent periodontal disease. There is no other alternative or option for removing food from between the teeth.  While you can brush the front and back of your teeth, bristles of a toothbrush do not effectively remove food.   Here are five tips from Dr. Rice on how to floss.

1.     Utilize floss you like. Don’t waste time and money on floss that is not comfortable for you to use or you do not like. Find one that works for you and try different kinds until you find one that motivates you to floss.

2.     Set a particular time everyday when you are going to floss. Setting up the routine is the key to creating a habit.

3.     Dr.Denine Rice, suggests, “Listen to music or sports while flossing.”  Pairing flossing with something you do like can shift your brain to think positively about an experience you don’t necessarily enjoy.

4.     Put the floss in multiple locations in your house. If you have floss in a bathroom downstairs, put it upstairs as well. Or place floss in the kitchen drawer if helps to remind you to brush.

5.     Floss everyday. The more consistently you floss the less likely you are to have problems from not flossing. Non-flossing can cause bleeding gums, swollen or puffy gums. Once you have those early signs of disease, flossing can cause pain or uncomfortable feelings. This can decrease your desire to floss resulting in more damage and potential tooth loss.

Contact Dr. Rice and her team today for more information.

It's That Time Of Year!

It's that time of year again, when you can either enjoy the insurance benefits you have already paid for or watch those same benefits disappear. Time is ticking on, and the holidays are around the corner.  Spend your dental insurance dollars before the clock runs out, as once the New Year is here, the benefits you have acquired to use for the year will most likely be gone.

You may wonder why would go to the periodontist. You may even tell yourself it is not time for your yearly periodontal check, or that your teeth look fine. But Dr. Rice suggests, “You can also utilize your dental benefits for procedures that can improve the health of your smile.” Remember, most dental benefits do not roll over to be applied to the next year.

If you have periodontal disease, but have been putting off laser surgery, now is the time to take advantage of your insurance so you can regain your self-confidence and your smile.   Laser surgery can remove plaque from below the gum line in order to decrease the impact of periodontal disease and lesson the likelihood of loosing a tooth. And it does all that without cutting the tissue, which means healing begins immediately.

For more information on how you can utilize your dental insurance to your advantage contact Dr. DenineRice and her team today.

Foods That Are Awesome For Your Gums

The foods we eat can impact our smile. Foods that have higher water count help to rinse food from your gums and teeth between brushing.  Healthy dental habits can keep your gums in working order, but you can further help your smile by eating foods that help keep your smile healthy.   

Green peppers are a great way to keep your gums in healthy order. They require chewing in order to break down the food to swallow. This chewing helps stimulate bone growth and saliva. “The more saliva you have in your mouth the more it can help remove food from the surface of your gums," says Dr.Denine Rice. 

Raw Onion is reported to be an excellent source of health for your gums. Not only is it packed with healthy benefits, it also helps kill extra bacteria in the mouth.

Raisins, while sticky, are actually packed with antioxidants and can help reduce inflammation and the impact of periodontal disease. In order to continue to protect your gums however, when consuming raisins don’t forget to brush your teeth.

Green tea is considered among some one of the best ways to reduce inflammation and keep your gums healthy. “Not only does it increase the amount of saliva in your mouth, it also has properties in it that prevent swelling,” says Dr. Rice.

While consuming other foods may help decrease your chance of periodontal disease it is important to get treatment if you find you are impacted by swelling, bleeding or preliminary signs of periodontal disease. 

                                 For more information call Dr. Rice & her team today.

What Are Your Gums Trying To Tell You?

Our gums have a difficult job that oftentimes goes unappreciated. You may take advantage of them and assume they will always be there to protect your teeth. The food you consume can increase decay and inflammation which can cause gum recession when not taken care of.  Here are four problems you may encounter with your gums and what it means for you.

1.     Your gums are not supposed to bleed. If your gums are bleeding it is an early sign of periodontal disease. This first stage is called gingivitis and can be easily treated with regular brushing and flossing and a visit to your hygienist.

2.     If your gums are receding you may have a more aggressive form of an oral problem called periodontal disease.  According to Dr.Rice, “This requires more aggressive treatment by a periodontist.”

3.     Bad breath can be caused by multiple sources. It could be the food you consume, or it can be a lack of brushing and flossing. Bad breath can be stopped with regular brushing and flossing. You may also need to adjust what food you are consuming if you notice the problem is not getting better. Finally bad breath that can not be controlled may signal periodontal disease.

4.     Are your gums swollen? Swollen gums are a preliminary sign that you have periodontal disease. Your gums cannot and should not be ignored. Dr. Denine Rice recommends, "Visit the periodontist in order to get your gum health back in order prior to any major treatment." 

4 Heart Related Problems That Can Occur If You Don’t Floss

While periodontal disease can go unnoticed for years and may not have a noticeable impact, periodontal disease can actually be deadly. “If you floss and your gums bleed,” Dr. Rice says, “you have a problem that needs to be addressed.” Healthy gums do not bleed.

Research now shows that patients who have suffered a heart attack are more likely to have periodontal disease then individuals who do not have periodontal disease. The bacteria from the disease, enters the blood stream and can travel throughout your body. Bacteria then travels to the heart and can potentially cause damage to the muscle causing a heart attack.

 

Strokes and periodontal disease are also linked. Strokes are also sometimes called a brain stroke, because they are caused when the blood vessels to the brain are clogged. As bacteria from periodontal disease builds up and freely travels around your body, it can easily travel to the blood vessels that need to be open in order for the brain to get oxygen. Without oxygen to the brain, the body begins to shut down.

Further research suggests that patients can further be impacted by, atherosclerosis, which is a vascular disease.  Periodontal disease creates a system where your body is attempting to the fight the infection that is impacting all parts of the body. While this infection rages on, your blood vessels and circulatory system can only take so much before it is not able to continue fighting the infections.

Periodontal disease is not something to be ignored, if your gums bleed, contact Dr. Rice and her team for a consultation to determine which treatment is right for you.

Digital X-rays & Why We Take Them

Digital x-rays are a great way for Dr. Rice and her team to determine if there are problems with your smile below the gum line. There are multiple problems that can occur in the mouth that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The only way for problems below the gum line to be diagnosed and treated is with an x-ray.

Digital x-rays machines go the extra mile and expose you to less radiation then dental x-ray machines of the past. We are all exposed each day to some type of radiation, but digital x-rays take less time, emit less radiation and allow for better accuracy. These three positives allow you to get an x-ray without having to worry about exposure.

Digital x-rays can allow your periodontist to identify and treat cancerous and noncancerous tumors that otherwise would go untreated. When you visit the periodontist and they conduct a thorough exam, there is only one way to see what is going on below the gums. This requires a machine that can look through the tissue. The earlier problems are detected the sooner they can be taken care of.

Each tooth has a root and that means you may feel sensitivity when eating or drinking certain foods. This sensitivity is sometimes caused by problems with the root position. An x-ray allows Dr. Denine Rice and you to come up with a plan in order to solve the problem.

For more information on Digital X-Rays contact Dr. Rice & her team.

Laser Surgery Can Restore Your Smile

Laser surgery is an amazing addition to restoring your smile. Not only does the laser beams go below the gum line to clean out bacteria, it can reduce pocket size, and decrease the effects of periodontal disease.  Each laser has different wavelengths and power based on the level of treatment you need. Dr. Denine Rice uses lasers not only for periodontal disease but to also enhance the color of your gums if desired.

During laser periodontal procedures, the laser is used to clean out bacteria that is below the gum line which, will allow for a reduction in the pocket depth. Utilizing a laser decreases down time and increases success rates. Another benefit to using a laser for periodontal surgery is the amount of time it takes to heal. While traditional periodontal surgery usually required at least a few days of down time to heal, laser surgery can have you back up on your feet in just minutes.

Cosmetic dentistry is a great way to get your smile back in the shape you want. If you are unhappy with the color of your gums, she can reduce the pigment in order to even out the look of your smile.   This procedure can be completed in a short amount of time and does not require days for healing.

Lasers have opened up the door to the periodontal field and allows Dr. Denine Rice and her team to complete treatments that couldn’t be done prior.

3 Consequences To Loosing A Tooth

When it comes to missing teeth, you might think it’s too expensive or that just one missing tooth is no big deal. Unfortunately, this is not the case and one missing tooth can cause multiple problems for your smile, your body and your career.

1.     Loss of self-confidence. Dr. Denine Rice states, "millions of Americans lose teeth everyday due to dental problems."  Once you lose a tooth, you may want to smile less, which can cause people to misread your body language.

2.     Missing teeth can cause speech impediments.  Certain sounds and words require your teeth to be in a certain position in order to make the sound correctly.

3.     Bone Loss. In order for your jawbone to continue to be stimulated, it requires your teeth to be able to move together. This helps generate bone growth. 

Dr. Rice states, “Gaps in your smile can cause speech problems, self-confidence issues, and unwanted movement of other teeth.” Once teeth are missing, your other teeth will begin to shift into other locations.

Dr. Rice and her team can provide multiple solutions. If you are impacted by missing teeth and would like support in fixing your smile, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

Recommit To Your Gums

Periodontal disease can cause major damage to your smile, your gums and your self-confidence. The first time you brush and your gums bleed it may be easy to blow it off. You might think a little bleeding is normal, but it is not. Any bleeding at all is a sign of gingivitis, which can lead to periodontal disease. 

Your periodontal health is critical for the health of your entire body. If you have periodontal disease, the infection can lead to damage to the rest of your body, including your heart, lungs, and liver. This month recommit to the health of your gums by following these three rules. 

Brush your teeth 2x a day for at least two minutes. When you brush you should do so in small circles. Vigorous brushing can cause damage to the gums and cause further problems. Pick out a new soft toothbrush every six months, as the bristles of the brush lose their effectiveness over time. 

Floss 1x a day. Flossing is the only way to remove any food from between the gums. When you floss, you want to wrap the floss around your fingers about 1-2 inches apart. Move gently between the teeth. Dr. Denine Rice states, “You should avoid pushing hard.” If you are struggling with breaking the floss, you can try waxed floss as this helps it glide between the teeth. 

Visit the periodontist if you're experiencing bleeding and swollen gums. Once you have periodontal disease, treatment is the only way to fix the problem. Don’t let time pass where you do nothing.   

Call Dr. Rice & her team today for more information.

4 Reasons Why You Don’t Want To Neglect Your Smile

It can be easy to blow off your smile. You may think cosmetic dentistry and taking care of your smile means dealing with a dentist who’s just trying to get your money. But did you know the body and mouth are connected? As the plaque begins to attack the enamel in your teeth, your body begins to fight. 
 
Dr. Rice states, "if you have gingivitis or periodontal disease, your body will begin to think it is sick." In order to kill the infection raging in your mouth, you will feel exhausted even if you get a good night’s sleep.  

While your immune system is kicking into overdrive, unless you take care of the root of the problem, you will continue to feel tired. 
The longer you wait, the bigger the problem you may have. While not brushing and flossing can start off with a little bleeding when you brush, it can quickly turn to a bone loss, inflammation of the gums and decay. 

The loss of a tooth costs more to fix then periodontal laser surgery. "Once a tooth is gone there is no going back, and once you lose one tooth you are more likely to lose more teeth in the upcoming months," states Dr. Denine Rice. As teeth fall out, other teeth will begin to shift into those positions causing you to look older than you are. 
Your smile is the first way to communicate happiness to someone across a room. Less smiling can lead to depression, lack of friends or intimate relationships. Job opportunities can be lost if you have an unhealthy smile. 
 Take time for your smile, call Dr. Rice & her team today for options on how to get your mouth in tip-top shape.  

Recommit To Change Your Smile Today!

Your smile is your finest asset or your greatest liability. With a positive, white smile you can share with the world, opportunities may pop up that you didn’t believe you had a chance at. Promotions may be possible when you are able to smile and enjoy life. While it may seem impossible to get your smile back to a healthy state, you can achieve it by implementing these three easy steps. 
 
Visit the periodontist if you have bleeding, swollen gums or have missing teeth due to periodontal disease. This will be the best decision you make. When you have periodontal disease, while brushing and flossing is critical, you’ll need to first get the periodontal disease under control. Once you have visited the periodontist the two of you can come up with a game plan for not only treating the disease, but also how you may be able to cosmetically enhance your smile. 
 Brush 2x a day. This is not a negotiable. Brushing is the critical step to removing food from your teeth. Periodontist, Dr. Rice states, “The longer food is on the surface of your teeth the more opportunity there is for the food to turn into bacteria that begins to damage the enamel of your teeth.”  
As the enamel is worn down, this can lead to cavities, decay and a need for more expensive dental procedures to fix. The bacteria then have the opportunity to go below the gum tissue creating havoc on the bone supporting your teeth.
Floss at least one time a day. Flossing removes the food from between the teeth and below the gum-line. Periodontal disease occurs when you do not floss. Bleeding, swollen and red gums are signs of gum disease. “If you have gingivitis,” Dr. Denine Rice says, “it can be taken care of by regular flossing.”   

I changed it to three as I only found three steps.