Improve Your Gums

Your gums are the backbone to your smile, but they are often left in the dark and not treated very well. You may have every intention of flossing and brushing regularly or even have a visit to the periodontist scheduled. Keep in mind that taking the time to improve your gum health impacts not only your smile but your overall health as well.

Your gums surround your tooth in love and protection. Without your gums, your teeth could not stay in your mouth. Over time, damage to your gums can cause them to recede, bleed or become swollen with bacteria. Dr. Rice and her team can help you get your oral health back on track.

Keeping your gums healthy is more than just brushing and flossing however, they are a true reflection of the foods and beverages you consume. Spend time evaluating your smile before and after you eat fruits and vegetables versus when you consume a large amount of carbohydrates. Our gums are working hard to keep up with all of the damage we can do to them in a day.

Even if you routinely brush and floss, your gums can get worn down. There are so many options available that can help you get the smile you love. Contact Dr. Rice and her team today for more information on your smile.

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.

Floss Or Loss

A recent article came out suggesting that flossing is not a necessary part of your dental routine and while research in this study suggested that the results were inconclusive, 8,000 periodontists, including Dr. Denine Rice and her team, say that keeping the space between your gums clean is the only way to reduce your risk of periodontal disease.

Adults across the nation can see that going just 1 or 2 days without flossing can cause pain, problems with bleeding gums, and years of not flossing give bacteria free rain to cause damage to your overall gum health. “Flossing is the key to a healthy smile and to keeping your teeth,” says Dr.Rice.

When bacteria is left on the surface or below your gums, they begin to swell and/or bleed. This is due to your body attempting to fight off the bacteria by using an inflammatory response. When your body is unable to get rid of the bacteria, your body will stay in this mode for long periods of time which can lead to other problems.

 Once, the bacteria have attacked your gums and regular flossing routines are not in place, your teeth can become loose, your gums may recede, and eventually this can lead to you losing your teeth.

Take time to floss. For more information on the importance of flossing contact Dr. Rice and her team.

Age Doesn’t Have To Mean Losing Your Teeth

It is a rumor and a myth that has been floating around for years that as you get older you must lose your teeth. The health of your teeth and gums are determined over a lifetime of habits. Individuals who demonstrate healthy and consistent dental habits have a higher chance of having a healthy, decay free smile that will last a lifetime.

Avoiding bad habits such as chewing tobacco, not flossing, drinking soda or consuming large amounts of carbohydrates and sugar without brushing and flossing can cause damage to your smile that is expensive and time consuming to fix. Dr. Rice recommends that if you engage in any of these negative dental habits that you begin to remove them from your daily life and begin to develop healthy habits. Even if you have not engaged in healthy routine dental habits, you can wake up at any point and decide that today is the day you are going to change your smile.

For more information on healthy dental habits, contact Dr. Denine Rice and her team.

4 Habits That Are Bad For Your Gums

Your gums can impact the way your teeth fit in your mouth. The gums are a pocket that your teeth fit into. Without proper care your gums can pay the price. Take time to distinguish these bad habits and improve your gum health.  Don’t take risks with the health of your gums. Treat them well and they can last a lifetime.

1.     Not Flossing on a regular basis can be the downfall of your smile. Flossing is the only way to remove food from between the teeth. Without flossing, food stays under the gums and turns into plaque which then can cause more significant problems.

2.     Eating foods heavy in carbs. The longer food stays on your teeth and in between your teeth the more opportunity plaque has to mix with sugar that then turns into cavities.

3.     Not drinking water. Water can remove food from the surface of the teeth in between brushing and flossing.

4.     Using your teeth as tools. As you use your teeth to open bottles or other items it can cut your gums causing a cut where bacteria can enter through your gums and into your blood stream.

For more information on how to keep your gums healthy, contact Dr. Rice and her team today.

5 Myths About Flossing

Waking up in the morning, flossing may or may not be a part of your routine. But Dr. Denine Rice says, “It’s the number one habit you have that can save your smile for a lifetime.” Here are 7 myths about flossing that you need to know.

1.     Bleeding gums is a bad sign & you should not floss.

a.     Your gums bleed because bacteria below the gum line is impacting their health. Flossing can ensure that your gums stay healthy.

2.     I don’t have food in my teeth, I shouldn’t floss.

a.     In fact, floss helps to remove plague built up between teeth, not just remove food from between the teeth.

3.     Flossing is only for older individuals.

a.     Flossing can begin as soon as your child as their first tooth. The earlier you start the habit, the more likely they are to continue the habit into adulthood.

4.     Flossing can damage your gums.

a.     Flossing helps to save your gums not damage them. You do need to be careful when flossing to make sure you are gently pulling the floss between the teeth. Do not dig the floss in the gum.

5.     You cannot floss because your teeth overlap.

a.     “While this can make it more difficult to floss,” says, Dr. Rice, “it is not an excuse to stop.” It is recommended that you utilize a waxed floss to help with this. 

For more myths about floss, contact Dr. Rice & her team today!

Is Periodontal Disease Contagious?

While there has been some research on saliva and on whether kissing your partner with periodontal disease may impact your smile, here’s what Dr. Denine Rice and her team recommend: if your partner has periodontal disease, have them follow through with periodontal procedures that can help get their smile and health back on track. Then it is time for you to also be evaluated. The unfortunate part is that bacteria that cause inflammatory reactions can be spread through your romantic kiss.

The best thing to do is avoid sharing utensils and other oral supplies with your partner until they can get the treatment they need. Periodontal disease that is left untreated can cause heart disease, missing teeth, receding gums, and ultimately cause you to look older than you are. If you begin to lose teeth because your gums are not healthy enough to hold them in the pocket and protect them your smile will suffer. If your loved one shows signs of periodontal disease including bleeding gums, pain with flossing, or missing or cracked teeth, know that there are . options. But doing nothing will cause more problems.

                            

Don’t waste time or put yourself at risk for periodontal disease, contact Dr. Rice & 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.

Don’t Miss Out, 5 Tips To Saving Your Smile

It is a great idea to keep your smile healthy and your gums looking fantastic. The healthier your smile the more likely you are to reach your goals. A smile is a connection with others, and employers report it is the first thing they look at when interviewing someone for a new position. “Without a healthy smile, you may be missing out on important opportunities,” says Dr.Denine Rice. 

Here are 5 tips to save your smile.

1.     Floss 1x a day. Flossing is the only way to remove food from between the teeth.

2.     Brush 2x a day. This helps to keep food from the surface of the teeth, helping to prevent cavities and decay.

3.     Consume eight fruits and vegetables a day. The water from the fruit and vegetables helps to remove food from the surface of the teeth and keep your smile looking healthy.

4.     Drink plenty of water throughout your day. A dry mouth allows for more bacteria to grow in your mouth. The more bacteria the more chance you have of getting periodontal disease.

5.     Visit the periodontist right away if recommended by your dentist. Once you have periodontal disease it doesn’t go away but not taking care of it makes the problem worse.

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

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.

Periodontal Disease & Pregnancy

Dr. Rice knows better than anyone about the importance of taking care of your smile during pregnancy. Just a few short weeks ago she gave birth to a healthy baby boy named, Samuel. She knew during pregnancy that her oral hygiene was at risk and so she encourages every pregnant and new mom to brush 2x a day, floss regularly and to visit the periodontist if you are having trouble.

When you’re pregnant you may experience sensitive gums, your gums may bleed, or be swollen. This is not normal and should not be occurring just because you are going to have a baby. Not only does periodontal disease impact your health, you also can pass the negative effects of gum disease on to your baby.

If you are struggling with your gum health, and you already brush, floss and visit the periodontist, you may need to increase your overall consumption of fruits and vegetables. This helps to remove any food from your teeth between brushing. The more water content the fruit and vegetable has the greater the benefit to your gums and smile. Dry mouth can be a breeding ground for excessive bacteria to grow, while water can help keep this problem to a minimum.

For more information, & tips on how to keep your gums healthy during pregnancy 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.