Perio Protect, LL Co-Sponsors the 2011 National Smile Giveaway

June 9, 2011 - PRLog -- St. Louis, MO - Perio Protect, LLC is a sponsor of the National Smile Giveaway, an internet voting contest to decide who will receive a brand new smile.  The “smile makeover” includes all procedures and products necessary to improve the winner’s smile, including custom-fitted Perio Trays®, to enhance and maintain the winner’s new, healthy smile.

The National Smile Giveaway is the brainchild of Dr. Peter Boulden and Dr. Susan Estep of Atlanta Dental Spa in Atlanta, GA.  For months, they accepted letters, pictures and videos from people all across America who believe their friend or loved one deserves a new smile. The doctors at the Atlanta Dental Spa then narrowed the entries down to ten finalists. Since March the public has been voting on the Atlanta Dental Spa's Facebook page for a finalist. The winner will be announced in June, National Smile Month.

The complete smile makeover, valued at $20,000, will likely include veneers, implants, and Invisalign braces. The winner will also receive Perio Trays® to place medication around the teeth and below the gum line to fight oral bacteria that cause decay, gum infections, and bad breath.

One reason many people need a smile makeover is to correct the damage caused by gum disease. Most people are not aware of the damaging effects of the disease, including puffy or tender gums, bleeding and discolored gums, receding gums, persistent bad breath, and loose or shifting teeth.  While many will notice that their smile is becoming less attractive with these symptoms, they do not realize that these are signs that an infection is actively destroying their smile.

Gum disease is a very common affliction.  Up to 80% of American adults have some form of gum disease, ranging from mild gingivitis to severe periodontitis. An astonishingly high percentage of people think bleeding gums are normal and do not know they have the disease. Others have been diagnosed with gum disease yet leave their disease untreated because of cost, ignorance, or fear Unfortunately, the disease is easy to ignore in the beginning and procrastinated treatment makes it harder to resolve.  

Gum disease starts with a bacterial infection in the gum tissue and, like any infection, it can intensify and spread. The infection prompts swelling and bleeding in the gums, eventually causing deeper space or pockets between the gums and teeth. Eventually gums can recede, making teeth look longer, hence the expression "long in the tooth."  In time, the infectious process can affect the bone that holds the teeth in place, causing teeth to loosen, shift in the mouth, and finally fall out.  

It is also theorized that the bacteria that successfully colonize the mouth, also enter the blood stream contribute to other acute health issues.  Recent studies have revealed links between gum disease and diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other inflammatory conditions.  

The tricky part of fighting gum disease, or simply preventing it, is effective removal of oral bacteria that are constantly reintroduced into the mouth. Brushing and flossing are standard preventive measures. So are cleaning procedures in the dental office. For many people, however, these are not enough. The placement of medication around the teeth and under the gum line with a prescription dental tray, like the comfortable Perio Tray, can also help.

Dr. Estep and Dr. Boulden were happy to have Perio Protect LLC provide Perio Trays® for the winner of the National Smile Giveaway because they have seen great results with the Perio Tray® delivery of medication on so many of their own patients. They have prescribed hundreds of Perio Trays® for patients because they know that simply beautifying a smile is not enough.  Untreated oral bacterial infections can eventually impair esthetic improvements.  Implants, for instance, are used to replace teeth lost to gum disease but will be subject to the same deterioration of gum and bone that caused the original teeth to fail. For a smile makeover to be complete and permanent, oral health must be maintained.

The Perio Tray® is a prescription medical device used to place medication into the periodontal pocket, the space between teeth and gum tissue where oral bacteria thrive. Each custom-made Perio Tray® is designed to fit snuggly over an individual’s teeth and gums and worn for minutes each day to hold medication in place long enough for the medication to work effectively.  Simply applying medication to the gums will not work.  The natural flow of fluid in the mouth dilutes medication and pushes it away from the gums, making the medication ineffective.  The placement of medication in the right location is most effectively accomplished by wearing Perio Trays®.

Dr. Boulden and Dr. Estep have a lot of experience performing dramatic smile makeovers.  Dr. Boulden’s work has been featured on ABC's "Extreme Makeover" and in 2009 he served as the official cosmetic dentist to the Miss Georgia Pageant.  Dr. Estep is a sustaining member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and was been awarded medals for each case she submitted in the last AACD Smile Design Competition. Both Dr. Boulden and Dr. Estep are also certified Perio Protect providers.

The objective of the National Smile Giveaway is to make a deserving person's dream come true.  "We have years of experience in changing smiles," says Dr. Estep, "and we know that giving someone a beautiful smile can truly change their life for the better."  By incorporating the non-invasive Perio Tray® delivery of medication into the makeover, they are hoping to make treatment more comfortable and more effective, with long lasting results.

For more information about the 2011 National Smile Giveaway and the Atlanta Dental Spa, call 770-998-3838 or go to atlantadentalspa.com.  To learn more about the Perio Protect Method® or to find a Perio Protect provider near you, either call 877-434-4867 (GUMS) or visit www.perioprotect.com.

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Perio Protect, LLC is a dental company that trains and certifies dentists in a minimally invasive gum disease treatment methodology. Courses are given in the United States and Canada. Over 20,000 dental professionals have been trained for gum disease Tx.