Author Archives: Brightside Dental

Why You Need To Book Your Man To See The Dentist

It is a well known fact that men tend to visit doctors and dentists much less frequently than women for routine appointments. At Brightside Dental, we regularly have women saying, they are constantly telling/nagging *delete as applicable (depending if you’re male or female) to arrange a dental appointment.dental-fear

There are many reasons people choose not to visit the dentist such as:

-lack of time

-no problems in the mouth

-the cost

– being scared (any maybe not wanting to admit it)

-low priority

…. The list goes on.

As dental professionals, we can give many reasons for it being beneficial for you to maintain regular dental visits to keep your mouth as healthy as possible.

A recent study has suggested there is a link between an increased risk of pancreatic cancer and active gum disease:

Pancreatic Cancer Risk Linked to Changes in Mouth bacteria According to New York University

This may be a good reason to arrange an assessment – there’s no need to wait until the New Year to get your mouth healthy. Give us a call on 020 88884401 to book an appointment. For the ladies, sometimes, it works best to book your partner in, rather than wait on them to think of a list of excuses!

Teeth Straightening Doesn’t Mean Looking Like Ugly Betty

Ketan, our practice principal has undertaken a 9 month training course in advanced orthodontics, which has involved over 70 hours of training in Wales, along with various course assessments, case logs and reading. He is now able to provide a wider range of teeth straightening options for our clients. ortho-1

This will be followed by a further course next year. Increasing numbers of adults are choosing to have their teeth straightened to improve their smile. Orthodontics are not just for children.

At Brightside Dental, we have a number of cosmetic straightening solutions. It is rarely required to have metal “traintrack” braces like Ugly Betty. We use discreet tooth coloured brackets and wires, clear aligners and also braces on the inside of the teeth that are not visible.

BETTY THE UGLY -- "Betty the Ugly" (one-hour, Friday, 8:00 p.m., ET) - In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go, and the only constants are the wafer-thin beauties who wear them. How can an ordinary girl -- a slightly plump plain-Jane from Queens -- possibly fit in? (ABC/ERIC LIEBOWITZ) AMERICA FERRERA


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See more details about our teeth straightening options here:

https://www.brightsidedental.co.uk/dental-treatments-bounds-green.html

If you would like to know more about the options to help improve your smile contact us on 020 88884401 to arrange a FREE smile audit worth £49.

 

We Cater For Cowards At Brightside Dental

Alina first visited Brightside Dental, having not been to a dentist for over 2 years because of a dental phobia. She was very nervous and anxious about having dental treatment as a result of a bad experience in the past when a tooth was removed and also because she found dental treatment to be painful in the past.

See Alina share her experience here:

Alina knew she would have to bite the bullet and see a dentist as she was having pain in the mouth which was progressively getting worse and and she was aware the problem wouldn’t go away by itself. She also felt that she needed a lot of treatment and that it would only get worse the longer it was left.

After carrying out extensive online research, she came across our practice in August. She booked an appointment to come and see us and have her mouth checked. At the first visit, she was noticeably nervous and shaking because of her fears of undergoing dental treatment and also worrying about what treatment would be needed.

As Alina suspected, she did require extensive dental treatment in order to improve the condition of her oral health and to get her mouth healthy. She chose to have the treatment carried out with intravenous sedation, which involves a small injection in the hand or arm. A sedative is then administered, to get you relaxed enough to have your dental treatment. Many people fall asleep during the treatment.

At the end of the visit, Alina was amazed that the treatment had been carried out with no pain – and she remembered very little of the procedure. She was so happy that she hugged our team members as she left. She has had further treatment since then and seeing her, it’s like a different person as she comes in smiling and laughing and knows she no longer needs to fear visiting the dentist.

At Brightside Dental, we love to see nervous people as we really believe we can help overcome dental fears and it’s what gives us the most satisfaction in what we do. If you are nervous about seeing the dentist, or know someone who is, give us a call on 020 88884401 and we can discuss how we can help.

Mouth Cancer Awareness Month November 2016

Mouth Cancer Awareness month is held in November every year and is supported by the Mouth mcam_date_ohf-300x110Cancer Foundation and the British Health Foundation. As a result of this event, many are now taking the subject seriously which studies now resulted in an increase in early detection of mouth cancer and much higher survival rates – which is really good news!

Though we can say that many may have known about it, there are still some that question, what is Mouth Cancer really anyway? What does it look like and what causes it? Mouth cancer among many people is not very well known about, however it causes more deaths per number of cases than breast cancer, cervical cancer, or melanomas.

Mouth cancer can affect the lips, tongue, cheeks and throat. It is mostly caused by habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and more common in middle aged and older men, however there are increasing numbers of cases in people who do not fit the traditional profile. It can appear as a painless mouth ulcer that does not heal normally. A white or red patch in the mouth can also develop into a cancer, as any unusual lumps or swellings.

The Mouth Cancer Foundation is constantly campaigning for early detection and to raise awareness of the risks and signs and symptoms of Mouth Cancer. Dental health professionals are the natural leaders to lead the fight against mouth cancer as follows:

  •   Warm patients of the dangers of tobacco use, alcohol abuse and the link to HPV.
  •   Alert Asian patients to the dangers of paan and gutka chewing.
  •   Carry out a thorough head and neck cancer screening on patients at routine check ups
  •   Make an effort to increase awareness of mouth cancers and the need for support for head and neck cancer patients.

The chances of survival are greatly improved with early detection and treatment. At Brightside Dental, we carry out mouth cancer screening routinely as part of the assessment we carry out for you.

 

Halloween and Helping Sick Children At Brightside Dental

Each quarter at Brightside Dental we decide on a charitable cause that could benefit from the  noahs-arkdonations 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 Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice which is a community based hospice service in Barnet providing support for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families in North London. We have chosen this charity as one of our patients works for Noah’s Ark.

Noah’s Ark mission is:

  • to provide care and support for children and young people from birth who have a life-limiting or life-threatening condition.  Their aim is to enable them to live full lives and to achieve their aspirations;
  • to ensure that families are able to live life as fully as possible whilst their child is still alive and go on to face the future with hope after bereavement.

Research conducted in 2011 suggested that 1086 children would benefit from their help and year on year has seen an increase in referrals from families needing their support. Currently they offer a hospice at home and community based service, however they are in the process of creating a hospice building near Barnet town centre.

If you would like to get further information about the charity please visit:

www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk

During the week coming up to Halloween, the practice was decorated by team members, with plenty of time spent carving pumpkins and baking cakes to help increase the awareness about Noah’s Ark with our clients and raise money for the charity.

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img_9804We 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.

Can Your Mouth Make You Happy?

Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can’t help but smile. When people are successful, or safe, or happiness-and-oral-healthlucky, they feel happiness. No one ever complained about feeling too much happiness.

When you’re happy, the feeling is unexplainable. The reasons for your happiness can be endless.  But have you ever thought that one of those reasons can be the condition of your oral health? Did it ever come to you that having a healthy mouth is a major factor for your happiness?

A good state of oral health has a potential positive influence on happiness. One of which is when you have healthy mouth, you can feel more confident and less self-conscious. When you have that confidence, you are more likely to have a stable social and economic life. And that life will definitely give you happiness.

Studies also indicate that individuals feel happier when their teeth are clean, well aligned, and cavity free. This link between oral health and happiness has been obtained through numerous studies and research.

Now, can you say that you are happy with the condition of your mouth? If your answer is yes, that is great, but if it makes you think twice, then you may want to know the options of how we can help. Call us at 020 88884401 and we’ll be more than happy to advise you.

Dental Mavericks Raffle Prize Winners

Dental Mavericks are a charity we have regularly supported over the past 5 years. Our principal dentist, Ketan has travelled to Morocco in 2014 and 2015 with the Mavericks. In a the most recent trip to Morocco last month, the Mavericks treated over 1000 children to help take them out of daily dental pain. This is the most treated so far and their impact on improving dental health is growing every trip.

We recently held a raffle at the practice and are pleased to announce the winners:

Well done to all the winners and thanks to everyone who participated and the businesses who donated prizes for the raffle. Thank you all in helping to raise over £1000 for this fantastic charity.

 

Should You Be Flossing?

There have been a number of stories in the media recently about the cleaning of your mouth- flossingtoothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthwash and floss. The biggest question that has come up is, do we really need to floss? Most people are already used to just brushing alone, but many are asking if it is really important to floss too.

At Brightside Dental, our recommendation is:

Yes! We do need to floss once a day before brushing our teeth. Flossing cleans the places that the toothbrush can’t reach. Bacterias that cause tooth decay and gum disease may develop in those area too so it is a very important part of oral hygiene.

Still not convinced?

Here are 5 reasons why flossing is really important.

  1. Flossing and brushing are more effective than brushing alone. Our teeth have 5 surfaces and brushing alone will only clean the top and outer surfaces of our teeth and gums while flossing cleans those gaps in between our teeth and gums.
  2. Flossing protects your gums, too- Tiny particles of food can get lodged in spaces of our gums and plaque in this area gets harden and later creates a tartar build up that can lead to gingivitis. Once tartar build up is there, it needs to be removed by a dental professional – you can’t do it yourself.
  3. Flossing can save you money- When you floss, you are less likely to have problems with your mouth and it can reduce your dental expenses
  4. Flossing helps prevent other diseases- Tooth and gum disease can have effects that go far beyond discoloured teeth, discomfort or bad breath.  Extensive research has shown that the bacteria that flourish in an unhealthy mouth can harm the rest of the body, leading to heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illness, as well as many other potential problems.
  5. Flossing prevents tartar build-up – Flossing allows you to remove the plaque that causes tartar while it’s in its early form: sticky, but soft and pliable. Since plaque doesn’t harden into tartar until it’s been undisturbed for a period of time, regular flossing can keep buildup from happening.

There are many brands and styles of floss – which one you choose doesn’t matter as much as using it regularly and in the correct way. There are also alternatives to floss such as interdental brushes, which can be more appropriate, for example if you have larger spaces between your teeth.

If you could like any further advice, give us a call on 020 88884401.

What Impact Can A New Smile Have?

Our vision statement at Brightside Dental is improving the lives of our clients. One way we achieve that is by helping people to improve their smiles, which can have a huge impact on their comfort, being able to eat, the look of their smile and level of confidence.

Brian recently undertook a course of dental treatment with us and he discusses how the experience was for him and the outcome of the treatment:

Win a Prize and Help Children In Dental Pain

The charity we are supporting this quarter is Dental Mavericks. They are a charity set up to help end daily dental pain for the children of Morocco. Our Principal Dentist, Ketan has joined the Mavericks team for the past 2 years with their projects and travelled to Morocco to help the children.

Dental Mavs raffle pic Just imagine, living with your family in an isolated fishing village with no dentists, a high sugar diet, no toothbrushes and no fluoride tooth paste. You don’t need to be a dentist to imagine the consequences, but the dental neglect shocks even the most experienced of this group of national dentists and their team. Abscesses, pain and distress, parents of these children in Morocco are no different to any other around the world, they want their children helping.

Ketan along with a group of dentists and team members travelled to the Rif mountains to remote villages. The team treated hundreds of children over the course of the week and mostly carried out extracting rotten teeth, along with fillings and providing education so that the children can look after their own teeth on a daily basis. For Ketan this was a chance to use the skills he has to give something back to people who have considerably less.

Dental Mavericks are also in the process of setting up permanent clinics and oral hygiene programmes working in conjunction with Moroccan dentists.This September the Dental Mavericks team will be returning to Morocco to continue their work.

One way we are supporting the charity is by having a raffle in the practice, with some great prizes, some of which have been kindly donated by local businesses.

You can pop in to the practice to buy raffle tickets at only £1 each, or make a donation online by clicking  http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/KetanShah2 and we can reserve your tickets.

Thanks for your support.