Cooler Weather

With the cooler weather moving in, it can be a time for people to dig out the warm food, high carb recipes. While these dishes can keep you warm and bring out the family, be careful of recipes with too many carbohydrates and not enough healthy vegetables. For years, dieticians and doctors have explained the importance of eating 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. But the health of your smile is dependent on this choice as well.

Potato soups, chili and cornbread, and lasagna may make your house smell delicious, but the pasta, starches and breads can stick to the teeth and gums. The longer food stays stuck to the surface of your teeth or gums the more chance that bacteria have to grow and cause decay and other problems. Brushing immediately after consuming carbs is the best way to keep your smile healthy. But if you cannot do that, eating a green pepper or other vegetable with a high water concentration can restore your smile to a healthy place. You can also pop in a piece of sugar free gum in between brushing to help remove any extra food from your teeth.

For more information on the importance of consuming vegetables contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

Stop! You Forgot To Floss!

“Flossing isn’t just a suggestion,” says Dr. Denine Rice, “It is a must.” There is only one way to save your gums and your teeth for a lifetime, and that is flossing. Food gets between the teeth even if you don’t see it, feel it, or think it is there. Regular brushing is awesome, but flossing is the bread and butter of dental health.  Millions of people every day are impacted by periodontal disease, but you do not have to be one of them. Here are 4 reasons why people say they don’t floss and what you can do to help.

1.     “My teeth are too tight.”

a.     Finding a coated floss, like Glide. It can help to glide between the teeth and remove any food that is stuck between teeth that are close together.

2.     “I don’t have enough time in the morning.”

a.     That is okay. Floss on your way out the door, at your first bathroom break, or at night, before bed, when your day has wound down.

3.     “The floss breaks.”

a.     Try different kinds of floss, and you may even want to use flossers. They can help to keep the floss from breaking.

4.     “I have bleeding Gums.”

a.     Gums bleed when you have periodontal disease and gingivitis. After a regular flossing routine has been established, your gums shouldn’t bleed any more. If they do, you may need to schedule an appointment for a periodontal cleaning.

For more suggestions and support with enhancing your flossing routine, contact Dr. Rice and her team today!

Is Your Bread Habit Ruining Your Gums?

Unfortunately, you’ve been hearing for years about how your bread habit can be leading to your struggle to lose weight, it can also be causing problems with your smile. If you consume bread with every meal, you may be increasing your chance of periodontal disease. But just cutting out bread isn’t going to improve the health of your gums. Here are 3 ways to improve your smile & still be able to enjoy your specialty sandwich.

1.     Brush your teeth once you have consumed bread. The longer that bread stays on your teeth the more opportunity bacteria have to begin attacking your smile. If you brush right after you eat, you’re removing the harmful bacteria from mixing with the sugars in your mouth.

2.     Drink water in between eating bread. The more saliva or water you have in your mouth, the easier it is to rinse the bread from your teeth. Dr. Denine Rice says, “The key is not having food or carbohydrates stuck on your teeth for one second longer than necessary.” Water can ensure this occurs.

3.     Chew sugar free gum in between brushing and after consuming bread. The gum can help increase the amount of saliva in your mouth, but it also can help to rinse food from your teeth and gums.

For more information on how to keep your smile on track, contact Periodontist Dr. Rice & her team today.

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.

Don’t Lie-Just Floss

Thousands of adults each day climb into their dentist's chair and reportedly lie to them about flossing. While the lie is intended to prevent them from getting caught by dentists and periodontists for not taking care of their smile, this lie can be causing serious damage. So, Dr. Denine Rice suggests, “Instead of feeling a need to lie, incorporate healthy flossing habits and save your smile.”

Flossing can be painful and difficult at first, especially if you have gingivitis or the start of periodontal disease. Your gums may be very sensitive or bleed when you floss. Over time, if the gingivitis is not severe, you should be able to toughen up the gums and decrease their sensitivity.

The alternative option to flossing is losing your teeth. Flossing is the single act that can save your smile for a lifetime. There is no other way to remove food from in between the teeth. Once you have eaten, food that stays between the teeth converts to sugar, which can increase bacteria levels and cause decay. Periodontist Dr. Rice says, "the bacteria can go below the gum line, eat away at healthy bone, which then causes your gums to recede."

Flossing can be done when you wake up, in between meals and when you go to bed at night. Or you can floss one time a day, just pick a routine and stick to it. When you are first beginning to floss again, you’ll want to pick floss that you like and is comfortable and then establish your healthy routine.

Next time you are at the store, don’t forget the floss! Your gums will thank you.

How Periodontal Disease Impacts Your Perfect Smile

  

            An unhealthy smile can negatively impact you in multiple ways. It may take a while for the abuse of not brushing, flossing or visiting the dentist to catch up, but eventually it will and the effects to your smile can be damaging and costly. "Here are 3 negative factors to consider," says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice. 

1. Crimson gum tissue is not healthy and attracts too much attention

a. When you smile or have your photo taken, crimson gums can attract the negative attention you are not looking for. The red color is indicative of infection and will immediately draw someone’s eye when you are communicating with them. This will detract from what you are saying - definitely a negative when talking to a business associate or client. 

 2. The disease loosens teeth

a. Your gums should be a tight pocket your teeth should fit into. Dr. Rice states, "once you have too much build-up, the gums begin to recede and pull away from the teeth." This leaves teeth loose and could lead to them falling out. 

3. Eventually, you will lose teeth. 

a. Teeth can only stay in a place for so long if they do not have the foundation needed - bone. The more bacteria that build up, the bigger the infection becomes, and you are more likely to have your gums receding even further and suffer from bone loss. This may cause you to have permanent teeth fall out. 

Periodontal disease can be stopped by non-surgical treatment early on, or laser treatment if it is severe. Ask Dr. Denine Rice and her team today for options.