Author Archives: Brightside Dental

It’s Never Too Late To Follow Your Dreams

In this weeks episode, Ketan talks about a former patient of Brightside Dental who has gone from a job in marketing to become the lead singer in a Black Sabbath tribute band.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/c16sE8yWmIk

 

 

To see Rik share his experience after completing his dental treatment and before and after photos of his smile click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZKhIVSa7sM&t=1s

Here is a recommendation from Rik:

“When I first decided to invest money in my dental treatment, it was because I mixed with lots of moderately successful business people who all seemed to have good teeth. Plus, I had been very self-aware that my teeth did not look that great with stains and chips on them, I also had a couple of missing teeth that were obvious when I smiled. So my confidence was not that great.

My treatment with Ketan went like dream and it all happened in the time frame that he outlined. I was extremely happy with the end result and felt a new confidence with my vastly improved smile.

2 years after completing my treatment, I was asked to audition as the singer in a Black Sabbath tribute band, although I passed the audition with flying colours, I didn’t realise at the time what a significant part my new teeth would play in my new role.  Ozzy Osbourne is as famous for his perfect teeth (all implants) as he is for his wild on/off stage antics.

As part of my on stage performance I bear my teeth at the audience, partly in homage to Ozzy Osbourne and partly to scare the living daylights out of them.  It’s become a thing now and the audience do it back to me!

To say that my life has been transformed would an understatement. You never know what opportunities will open up to you further down the line in the future.  If anyone had told me that I would be the singer in Blakk Sabbath and completely own the stage when performing, I would have thought they were joking.  I am now on the journey with a new career and loving every moment of it!

For anyone contemplating the investment in significant dental treatment, look no further than Ketan Shah and Brightside Dental, because the future is full of unknown surprises.” – Rik (Ozzy Osbourne) Lambert

For more about Blakk Sabbath visit: https://www.facebook.com/blakksabbathband/

If you would like to learn how we can help improve your smile send us a message or call on 020 88884401.

To Floss Or Not To Floss?

That is the question!   

There have been numerous articles in the media recently that flossing may not be of any benefit to you and can actually harm your mouth.

Whilst this is true at face value, the fact is toothbrushing alone cannot remove all plaque and food deposits from your mouth.

Watch Episode 4 of BSTV to learn more about this: https://youtu.be/0tOQR4Kmtq4

Flossing can potentially damage your mouth if done incorrectly. In a future episode, we will show you the correct way to floss.

At Brightside Dental, we would definitely recommend, that you do use dental floss, ideally once a day, or alternatively a suitable interdental cleaning product.

The best thing is to see your dentist or hygienist, who can advise the best cleaning routine for you and which products to use, as for many people it may be a combination of more than one

If you need any further help or advice, give us a call on 020 88884401.

The Sticky Truth:Hidden Sugars In Common Foods

Sugar is the single biggest cause of tooth decay (as well as many other health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer) – without sugar, you can’t get cavities! However, to cut out sugar from your diet is easier said than done. Many common foods we eat, contain sugar and often a lot more than you may think.

Foods with hidden sugar

Click to see the 10 common foods with hidden sugars and advice on healthier alternatives: https://youtu.be/LQVIby_89QY

10 Common Foods High In Sugar:

  1. Breakfast Cereals
  2. Yoghurt
  3. Salad Dressings and Sauces
  4. Bread
  5. Soups
  6. Breakfast/Energy Bars and Protein Shakes
  7. Non-Dairy Milk
  8. Smoothies
  9. Baked Beans
  10. Crackers and Crisps

Watch the video https://youtu.be/LQVIby_89QY for advice on how to spot foods with high levels of sugar and suggestions on alternatives that are kinder on your teeth and better for your health.

For more help or advice, email us or give us a call on 020 88884401.

The Truth About Sports Drinks And Teeth

Sugar = dental cavities. You can’t get cavities in your teeth without sugar.         

Watch BSTV Episode 2 for insights on sugar content of common drinks and suggestions for alternatives.

https://youtu.be/6YcPGy0Luac

This is a study which found significant dental health issues in professional footballers: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/1/41

With it being sporting season with the World Cup and Wimbledon, plus the hot weather, all these factors contribute to failing dental health.

Most sports drinks contain glucose and electrolytes, which give you the energy to push yourself further with sports. It’s the glucose that’s damaging for teeth.

One of the drinks mentioned that are kinder on your teeth can be found here : https://www.amazon.co.uk/BodyBio-Balanced-Electrolyte-Concentrate-Servings/dp/B0016NIFNE/ref=sr_1_10_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1530779012&sr=8-10&keywords=electrolyte+solution

For any further advice, send an email or give us a call on 020 88884401.

What Do Our Customer Service Ratings And A Rollercoaster Have In Common?

As all of our regular patients are aware, we ask you to complete a short feedback form at the end of each visit with us.

What happens with these forms?   

We review all forms completed at the end of each day and we regularly discuss the results and comments in our daily team meetings. If for any reason, we have low scores and there is a name on that form, we will call the patient to discuss and hopefully resolve their concerns. We love to see the great feedback we receive, but just as much, we would like to know if you’re not happy so that we can do our best to put it right.

Here are the ratings for the month of May: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaF6H22_OXM&feature=youtu.be

We will be running a series of regular videos in the future. If there are any dental topics you would like advice or help with, please let us know and we will do our best to answer your query.

The National Autistic Society – Charity Of The Quarter

Each quarter at Brightside Dental we decide on a charitable cause that could benefit from the donations we make as a promise to our clients who have patiently waited to be seen for more than 10 minutes past their booked appointment time. Each time we are running late we make a donation to our chosen charity on their behalf.

This quarter we are supporting the National Autistic Society .

Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates, relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them. Around 700,000 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum.Together with their families, this means autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people.

Our generosity means that more autistic people and their families can lead the lives they choose and helping to make sure that more autistic people are understood, supported and appreciated.

Last year 2,583 families attended an early bird course to find out more about autism after their child was diagnosed, 20,000 people received local support from branches, millions visited their new mobile friendly website, more than 2,000 were supported through schools and services and many more people benefited from the societies services.

The National Autistic Society works in various ways to help and support those with Autism as well as their relatives:

  • Running residential, community hubs, befriending, social groups and employment services for adults and specialist schools, autism centres and further education support for kids and young people.
  • Helplines, volunteer-run branches, membership programmes, parent to parent services and online community for autistic adults.
  • Support for professionals- training coures, consultations, conferences and an Autism Accreditation programmes to help those working with Autistic people receive the knowledge they need on how to interact and understand Autism.

To find out how you can also get involved and fundraise, please visit http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.aspx

We hope our contribution with help make a difference to others. If you have a charity you feel strongly about, please let us know and we will see what we can do about supporting them in the coming months.

 

Diabetes Week 2018

Diabetes week is every year between 11th June until 17th June. This awareness week is devoted to have all supporters come together to express their stories, to raise awareness of diabetes and help fund research into the condition. Living with diabetes is difficult, there are many factors to consider which can be stressful for you and your relatives, however you should not need to put your life on hold. There are several ways you can fit diabetes around your life style, from what you can eat to how you can treat and manage the condition effectively. Visit https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes for information and advice.

Diabetes and dental health:

Oral health issues can be more common if you have diabetes. Therefore, taking great care of your dental health is very important to prevent dental complications developing. Keeping your blood sugar within a normal range will reduce this risk. Having a balanced diet, exercising regularly and giving up smoking is extremely advisable to lessen the risk of oral health problems. Making sure you visit the dentist as regularly as advised, ensures that any infections will be treated as early as possible. You should inform your dentist if you had the condition recently diagnosed or have a long standing diabetes as this can affect your dental treatment and how often they must review your teeth and gums.

Diabetes and your mouth:

·         You may have less saliva which can cause dry mouth

·         As saliva protects the teeth, you may be at increased risk of cavities.

·         Receeding gums

·         Problems tasting food

·         Wounds taking longer to heal, for example after you had a tooth removed.

·         You may be more prone to infections inside your mouth

·         For children with diabetes, teeth may erupt earlier than usually.

Diabetes and gum disease:

Having prolonged high blood glucose can lead to gum disease escalating quickly, but keeping the levels within normal range can reduced the risk of infection spreading.

There are 3 stages of gum disease:

·         Gingivitis: this is an initial stage of gum disease caused by poor oral hygiene and plaque not being removed from the teeth.  It shows as inflamed, red and tender gums and can cause bleeding when brushing. This condition can by reversed by visiting the dentist/hygienist regularly and keeping a good oral health at home too.

·         Periodontitis (mild): at this stage there will be damage to the teeth and bone supporting teeth. This is more common for those who have a family history of gum disease, uncontrolled diabetes and poor oral hygiene.

·         Periodontitis (severe): this is the most advanced stage of gum disease and is characterised by tissue and bone loss around the teeth which can lead to loose teeth.

Get involved for Diabetes week 2018:

·         Use the hashtags #diabetesweek and #talkaboutdiabetes and join the conversations on social media.

·         Share your stories with other supporters online throughout the week

·         Fundraise throughout the week

To find out more, visit https://www.diabetes.org.uk/index.php/get_involved/diabetes-week.

 For any advice and information or to arrange an appointment with your dentist/hygienist please give us a call on 02088884401.

Win A £50 Cinema Voucher By Smiling

National Smile Month is the UK’s charity campaign supported by thousands and organised by the Oral Health Foundation. It helps us improve and keep a healthy smile and is the nation’s annual reminder about the importance of our oral health, the campaign makes a significant difference to the well-being of millions of people.

The campaign promotes three key messages for people to understand the true worth of their smile:

  • Brush your teeth at night and at least one other time during the day with a fluoride containing toothpaste.
  • Cut down the frequency of sugary foods and drinks.
  • Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

Following these key tips can have a major positive impact on your oral health and life-changing benefits. Having a healthy smile can improve your self-confidence, help you in certain aspects of life such as careers. It can improve the health of not only your mouth but your body too, transform your visual appearance and the positivity of your mind set.Moreover, it’s not only adults who need help on improving the oral health. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in kids. From brushing their first tooth, their first visit to the dentist, to learning more about their diet; all these aspects have a huge impact on the child’s oral health from their early years. Therefore, kids following the above key messages will have long-lasting benefits in their adult life too.

Find out more on: http://www.nationalsmilemonth.org/. Also visit our Facebook page for regular tips and advice during the month.

During the National Smile month (14th May-14th June)  Brightside Dental is welcoming you to enter the ‘Best Smiley Selfie’ contest where you can become the winner of the best selfie and receive the prize of £50 GIFT CARD AT VUE CINEMAS!

To enter the contest, just follow these simple steps:

  • Come to the practice and take a fun smiley selfie with us! You can pop in and enter even if you don’t have an appointment
  • Like our Facebook Page 
  • Post the selfie on your Facebook page and tag Brightside Dental 

After completing these 3 steps, you will be entered into the contest.

On 14th June, our team members will select the best selfie and announce the lucky winner!

We look forward to seeing your best smile!

Are Children Having Too Much Sugar?

Tooth decay is the number one cause of hospital admissions for general anesthetic in the UK and the  main cause of this is a high consumption of sugary food and drinks.

Click to read more of recent findings released by Public Health England (PHE). http://www.smile-onnews.com/news/view/childhood-tooth-extraction-requires-action-in-england

6th April 2018 saw the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy Regulations 2018 (more commonly known as The Sugar Tax).  This may have a positive impact on reducing sugar consumption, however many people are skeptical. Read more about the sugar tax here: https://www.dentalhealth.org/news/details/997

Did you know that most children consume more than half the daily recommended sugar intake before school starts in the morning? More than 11g of sugar is being consumed at breakfast time, almost 3 sugar cubes. The recommended daily maximum is no more than 5 cubes of sugar for 4-6-year old’s and no more than 6 cubes for 7-10-year old per day. By the end of the day children may well have consumed more than 3 times these recommendations. The main sources of sugar at breakfast time include sugary cereals, spreads and drinks. So, if you want to minimize sugar intake, there are plenty of healthier options!

Good snacks include:

  • Non-citrus fruits such as apples, pears or peaches.
  • Raw vegetables such as carrots and celery, unsweetened yogurt and unflavoured crisps.

Bad snacks include:

  • Biscuits and cakes, carbonated drinks, citrus fruit juices and tea and coffee containing sugar.

You should also be careful with hidden sugars which can be in foods you wouldn’t expect, they are added artificially to food for taste.

These include:

  • Flavoured crisps, sauces, energy drinks, processed ready meals, bread, yoghurts and many more.

Here are some tips to make healthier swaps simple:  

  • Create a ‘fun bottle’ by decorating a plain bottle with permanent markers with your children.
  • Download a water tracker app on your phone and let your children mark off the glasses of water they drink every day, this will also help you to make sure your child is hydrated too.
  • Water and (plain) milk are the best drinks to have – milk contains calcium which keeps the body strong and is part of a healthy, balanced diet.
  • Lots of kids do not like water because it is plain. Try adding some colour to it, you can always add some berries to make the water look more colourful and taste better.
  • An app has been created called Be Food Smart and it has been developed to emphasize how much sugar, saturated fat and salt can be found in food and drink that your children consume daily. The free app helps and encourages you to choose a healthier option by scanning the barcode of the product allowing you to compare brands and choose a healthier alternative.

You can visit Change4Life website from where you can receive tips, recipes, competitions and offers to help you maintain your life healthy. https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/food-facts/healthier-snacks-for-kids/lower-sugar-drinks-for-kids-stop-tooth-decay?WT.tsrc=Email&WT.mc_id=0418C4LNewsletterSugaryDrinks#BtHJkPUyeRfkVmXE.97

As well as the dietary changes, ensure your child’s teeth are brushed twice a day with an age appropriate toothpaste and maintain regular dental visits which are free of charge under the NHS for children up to 18 years of age.

If you need any further help or advice give us a call on 020 88884401.

Does Snoring Stop You From Sleeping?

National Stop Snoring Week takes place from April 23rd. With snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) thought to affect over 40% of the population, this is a significant issue.   

What many people don’t know is that these conditions can often be treated successfully and you don’t need to suffer. Dentists can play a pivotal role in treatment. At Brightside Dental, we have potential solutions, that are simple and easy to provide and with which we have had great success with. Many people put up with the noises of snoring from their partner and have to adapt. It doesn’t have to be this way and with effective treatment, you and your partner will enjoy a good night’s sleep, increased concentration and energy levels.

Click for more information about these conditions and how our treatment may be effective https://www.brightsidedental.co.uk/headaches-and-snoring-bounds-green.html

For more information or to arrange a consultation for you (or your partner) give us a call on 020 88884401. In support of National Stop Snoring Week, we are offering 25% off treatments booked by 31st May 2018.