Category: Blog/ News

Since the time I founded my practice, North Raleigh Periodontics, I have been performing dental implants on my patients. However, some people may not know that I place numerous types of dental implants including single tooth implants, implant-supported bridges to replace multiple missing teeth, and implant-supported dentures.

One type of implant-supported denture that I place is called an “overdenture.” This type of dental implant forms a gum-supported base onto which a removable denture can be placed; overdenture implants are typically performed on the bottom teeth. But what are the fundamental differences between a standard denture and an overdenture, and why would someone choose an implant overdenture as opposed to a full or partial traditional denture?

While most people realize that flossing, brushing, and visiting their oral health professional are integral components of maintaining oral health, many do not know that the very foods they choose to eat have a direct impact upon their periodontal well-being. That’s right- your diet uniquely affects your gum’s ability to clear away plaque and calculus, freshen your breath, and strengthen and regenerate gum tissue.

Crunchy foods are great at scraping away bacteria and calculus that accumulate along the gumline. Fresh fruits and vegetables like apples, cucumbers, celery, and carrots not only scrape at bacteria, but they also help eliminate food particles between the teeth and keep the breath fresh between tooth brushing. Moreover, crunchy, fibrous foods take longer to chew, generating more saliva which in turn helps flush the mouth of bacteria near the gum line. Adding fresh, fibrous, crunchy fruits and vegetables to your diet will help rid your mouth of food particles, freshen your breath, and clear away plaque that accumulates around the gums.

When people first visit the periodontist, some of their initial questions include: “Is there a difference between a dental cleaning and a periodontal maintenance cleaning?” and “Do I really need to keep consistent periodontal maintenance appointments?” The answers are: “Yes” and “Yes!”

For more information on this topic, listen to the Gum Guru Podcast by clicking the link below:

There Are Bugs Under Your Gums

A Simple Way To Decrease Your Risk of Dementia

These days most people are aware of the negative effects of smoking upon their health. And you’ve probably heard it said at least once–smoking is bad for your mouth. It’s true. Smoking is especially detrimental to individuals’ oral health. It causes a number of periodontal problems and exacerbates numerous pre-existing conditions. But why and how, exactly, does smoking increase people’s risk for gum disease?

Flossing daily is a gentle and effective way to protect one’s oral health, and it should not cause the gums to bleed. However, when people do not floss regularly, their gums will tend to bleed when they do floss. This bleeding often deters people from continuing to floss later on. Unfortunately, this usually leads to gingivitis and often to periodontal disease. This seemingly vicious cycle prompts a number of questions (and, fortunately, answers!):

Have you ever found yourself checking out at a healthcare office, receiving your bill, and starting to panic because insurance didn’t cover as much as you thought it would? Or maybe you don’t have insurance at all, and your bill is much higher than you assumed it would be in the first place. That’s where CareCredit comes in to help.

Over 75 % of Americans suffer from gum disease. And while most people understand the importance of maintaining healthy gums and teeth, many do not know that gum disease is a potentially life-threatening condition that can affect not only the mouth, but also the entire body. Did you know that periodontal (gum) health and systemic (whole body) health are interrelated? Conversely, periodontal disease is linked to a number of systemic diseases. Periodontal disease has even been associated with such conditions as an increased risk of pregnancy complications, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Why is this?

Many patients choose traditional scaling and root planing treatments (SRP) as a safe, non-surgical method to deep-clean the bacteria from their teeth and gums. However, a small number of periodontists are opting to use new laser technology to treat patients instead. Which method is best for you?

For more information on this topic, listen to the Gum Guru Podcast by clicking the link below:

You’ve Been Diagnosed With Gum Disease

There Are Bugs Under Your Gums