Being Healthy Is Awesome

Bacteria in periodontal disease can impact your smile and your health. You could wake up every day, brush, floss, visit the dentist, eat healthy and exercise, but if you do not floss and take care of your gums some of these efforts will be wasted energy. Being healthy and having healthy gums is the new sexy. Get your sexy on today by loving your gums.

You spend time completing all kinds of activities throughout your day. Make sure you are completing the right ones. "Once you have periodontal disease," says Dr. Rice, "you, unfortunately, are never able to get rid of it.” Laser treatment can help manage the health of your gums and drastically decrease your symptoms of bleeding, swollen gums and other problems you may encounter.

          Controlling inflammation in the mouth is the key to decreasing the negative impact of

periodontal disease. Do this by having laser procedure and you can reclaim your

healthy smile. Stroke, heart disease and diabetes are a few diseases that are higher in individuals who are impacted by periodontal disease.

For more information on how to, “Love your Gums,” contact Dr. Rice and here team

today!

Five Fruits That Are Best for Your Gums

With hundreds of fruits to pick from in order to improve your gums and increase saliva it can be a daunting task to determine which ones are the best for your gums. Dr. Denine Rice states that, “You could spend time eating fruit and never really getting the full benefit.”

 Here is a list of 10 fruits that are best for your gums.

1.     Oranges are not only great for your gums because of the Vitamin C content, they also help to increase the overall saliva in your mouth.

2.     Kiwis are another great source of Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps reduce inflammation throughout the body including your gums. Vitamin C also helps to produce collagen, which can help you fight periodontal disease.

3.     Strawberries are a fantastic fruit that help create a barrier in protecting your gums. Without Vitamin C you are more susceptible to the bacteria that cause gum disease.  

4.     Apples surpass other fruit by a long shot in keeping your gums healthy. They have the water you need to produce saliva and to keep the bacteria that causes periodontal disease under control. 

5.     Berries are a rich source of antioxidants. Not only do they help protect against cell damage they also protect against bacterial infections.

If these fruits are not a part of your daily consumption, Dr. Rice and her team recommend you eat at least eat 4 servings of fruit a day and include at least one of these 1x a day.

.

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.

10 Tips from Dr. Rice

Here are 10 tips from periodontist Dr. Rice that can help keep your smile and gums looking their best.  There is a ton of information out there and it can be difficult to wade through it all, we’ve compiled all this information to help you find the resources you need in one place.

1.     Don’t replace regular oral care products with cheaper products.

2.     Floss everyday, even if your teeth feel clean.

3.     Drink the recommended amount of water, because it helps to remove food from the surface of teeth.

4.     Consume fruits and vegetables they're great for your smile.

5.     Get chipped and broken teeth fixed, this can decrease further problems with your smile.

6.     Visit the periodontist if your gums bleed even a little bit when you brush or floss.

7.     Brush 2x a day to remove food from the surface of the teeth.

8.     Avoid brushing too hard, it can cause your gums to recede. Instead brush using a gentle circular motion.

9.     A soft bristled toothbrush is better for the gums and protects against receding.

10.  Love your gums, you only have one set.

For more information on how to protect your gums contact Dr. Rice & her team today.

Do I have To Floss My Veneers?

A veneer is a thin covering that goes over your teeth. It can help to restore your smile back to a healthy and beautiful one you love to show off. When veneers are applied correctly they can help to reshape your smile and cover up discoloration. Dr. Rice states, “Veneers are adhered to the front of your teeth and replace thinner enamel that has worn down over time.”

Having veneers though does not dismiss your need to brush and floss. Once you have veneers in place, in order to keep them healthy it will be important for you to maintain a regular dental routine of brushing 2x a day, flossing 1x a day and continuing to visit your dentist on a regular basis. Veneers do not protect your gums, and in order to make sure your smile stays healthy looking, the only way to remove food from around your veneers is to floss.

When flossing you will want to do some research and find floss that easily glides between your teeth. Some of your teeth may be closer together and it may be tough to get floss in between, utilizing wax floss can help with this. If this does not work, there are other options such as a water pic. The choice you make isn’t important, it is just important to floss.

For more information on how to floss veneers or for recommendations on floss contact Dr. Denine Rice & her team today

February Is The Month Of Love

Love comes in all shapes and sizes and it can be big gestures or small incremental changes. No matter where you are at this month, commit to making changes with your smile. Smiling is your greatest asset or your worst enemy. Dr. Rice suggests, “If you have spent time brushing, flossing, visiting the dentist and eating healthy, you may have a smile that has a wow factor.” But sometimes you may skip the flossing or only brush 1x a day. All of these decisions can be detrimental in the long run to the health of your smile.

This February show your gums you love them. If you brush only 1x a day, commit to brushing 2x a day. If you don’t floss, purchase floss you like, or a water pic and change your daily habit. If you’re struggling to visit the dentist regularly, schedule your appointment today and don’t wait. Each passing day can cause more problems to your smile and eventually impact your overall options and your pocketbook.

You only have one set of gums and everyone should be allowed to have them for a lifetime. “This year can be the year, you let your gums know how important they are to you,” says Dr. Denine Rice.