Check out this crazy article I found the other day:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3209076/HALF-adults-fail-brush-teeth-night-tired-admit-using-FINGER-brush.html

A new survey released by GSK has revealed some astounding facts about the dental habits of us Brits.

Allow me to highlight some of the main statistics this survey found…

• 45% of 10,000 adults say they’ve gone to bed without brushing (either due to laziness, tiredness, or simply forgetting)
• One in five said they only brush with water
• 14% ‘brush’ their teeth with a finger

It’s simply mind boggling.

No surprise at all that 29% of these people have at least six fillings, and 67% have experienced tooth decay and cavities.

In this day and age, this shouldn’t be such a widespread problem.

Simply brush your teeth twice a day for a couple of minutes a day, floss/use mouthwash, and get regular check-ups.

That’s all that your teeth need of you.

If you’d like more advice on dental health, or to book an appointment with us, simply call 020 8088 2079 and we’ll see what we can do for you and your teeth.

Nowadays I see more and more people attempting to straighten their teeth at home.

There’s a common misconception that teeth straightening is a simple process – just move the tooth where you want, right?

Many factors go into fitting braces and seeing if your teeth are fit for the process in the first place. Bone growth and development, human physiology, occlusion (this is how your teeth line up when your jaw is closed), biomechanics, dental history, and much more must be taken into consideration.

Purchasing a DIY kit off of the internet that is “overseen by a qualified orthodontist” simply cannot factor in these important pieces of information.

Simply strapping a rubber band to your teeth and hoping for the best is absolutely not going to benefit your mouth.

And yes, this is actually something that people try, here’s an article that discusses these methods and the dangers:

http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2015/09/091415_diy.braces.php

Take care of yourself and your teeth; make sure your teeth straightening process is carried out by a professional who knows what they’re doing and knows your mouth.

If you would like more advice on this subject, or to book yourself in for an appointment, just give us friendly lot over at Brightside Dental a call on 020 8088 2079.

Have a great weekend,

Ketan

When it comes to your teeth, your dentist can pick up on a lot more than you think – simply by taking a quick glance at your mouth.

In fact, this article here sums it up pretty well:

http://www.bradenton.com/2015/09/15/5991042_12-things-your-dentist-knows-about.html?rh=1

It’s a really good read, and a great reminder of the kinds of things that you need to be taking into account when looking after your teeth.

During all my years in dentistry, I’ve found that a lot of people forget some really crucial things.

The biggest offenders from this article are definitely flossing and vitamin deficiencies.

These are aspects that most people completely forget about, or it simply just doesn’t occur to them.

First off, flossing. This is more vital than most people think, as it helps prevent gum disease by removing bits of food and plaque that a toothbrush just can’t reach. You can’t fool us dentists into thinking you floss regularly just because you gave it a go before your appointment, sorry!

Then there are your vitamins (B, C, A, D, K, and iron). Again, most people don’t really think these affect your teeth, but boy do they ever! Eating a healthy diet is just as important for your teeth as it is for the rest of your body. So if you come to us with bleeding gums, a burning mouth, or even a loss of papillae (tongue bumps!) then we may just prescribe you some fruits and vegetables.

If you fancy giving us a call for more info, or even for just a reminder of the sorts of things that we at Brightside Dental can do for you, our number is: 020 8088 2079.

All the best,

Ketan

It happens to most of us as some stage in our lives… Braces. We can’t all have straight pearly whites right out of the box. So unless you’ve been born with the perfect set of teeth, you’ll probably have to wear braces to align the odd wayward tooth.

Thing is, many find wearing braces an intimidating prospect. They don’t like the idea of having a mouth full of hardware, and they’re willing to avoid the dentist and let their teeth grow wildly in all directions.

For a lot of teenagers, braces are seen as a detriment than a benefit. They’ll only see the disadvantages than the overall successive outcome to wearing them. The problem here is, they’re willing to sacrifice that perfect smile to avoid the name-calling and bullying.

Is Invisalign Teen a solution to their worries? Here is an article that discusses the benefits and addresses concerns you may have with Invisalign, and why many choose them over traditional braces. If you have a self-conscious teenager living in your house, maybe you’ll find something of interest…

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/seven-truths-about-invisalign-teen-from-sacramento-dentistry-group-2015-09-01

More than 200,000 children and adults in England and Wales started orthodontic treatment last year. That means more and more people are wearing braces on a daily basis. However, as you can see from the article, some people may find it difficult to adapt to the process, and in rare cases, may feel isolated.

So if you’re considering Invisalign? What can you hope to expect?

There are many advantages Invisalign can offer over traditional braces:

• They’re practically invisible, or near enough, so your mouth will attract less attention.
• Better for athletes, since there are no wires or brackets to cause injury during collisions.
• The aligner can be removed before eating to avoid embarrassing food related situations.
• A happier, healthier teenager.

While traditional braces will usually get the job done, Invisalign should only be used when all other bases have been covered. If you’re worried about your teeth, or your child’s teeth, and have a problem with wearing braces, why not give us a call on 020 8088 2079 to book an appointment to discuss all your available options.

Speak soon,

Ketan

When we’re experiencing tooth pain and we know in the immediate future we’re going to have to get it checked out, the first thing most of us are likely to think of are the horror stories…

Big needles or any talk about drills are overblown in the patients mind and sound scary, but the truth is, you’re likely to experience more pain if you avoid going. In fact, we’re there to take that pain away!

But imagine a world where you didn’t have to fear going to the dentist… that scientists are on the cusp of a break-through technology that could eliminate that primordial feeling of dread…

I was doing a little reading the other day and happened across this on the web.

How exciting, eh?

The procedure ‘supercharges’ remineralisation, a natural process that strengthens tooth enamel, the tooth’s protective coating. Better yet, the ‘device speeds up this process to the same amount of time it takes to have a filling.’  It’s painless, too.

With around ’98 per cent of people affected by tooth decay at some point in their lives’, it would be a cost-effective way to visit your dentist, and could save you a world of future torment.

It’s still early days, with it being in the prototype stage, but imagine if one day, worldwide, we could protect your teeth and the teeth of your children with such a device. Maybe then, taking a trip to the dentist would seem like an attractive proposition.

However, until then, if you do have any concerns, or if it’s been a while since your last assessment, why not get in touch for an appointment. It could be saving you a lot of hassle and money.

If you do have any concerns, call us on 020 8088 2079. We’ll be happy to help.

Speak soon,

Ketan

You’ll be surprised how many patients come to my practice complaining about bleeding gums, or increased hot/cold sensitivity… normally the first signs of gum disease.

So when I take a look into their mouths to see a row of receding gums, I know something needs to be done, fast, to avoid future problems.

Some patients are adamant they’ve impeccable oral hygiene, but receding gums can happen for a variety of reasons. You’ve just got to notice the early warning signs and get them treated as soon as possible.

Here’s an interesting article that provides a little background knowledge on gum recession, how and why it happens and what treatments are on offer to combat further issues.

http://www.nj.com/helpinghands/deltadental/index.ssf/2015/08/what_you_need_to_know_about_re.html

I wonder if you realised that aggressive tooth brushing was a contributor of gum recession?

How can that be, you may ask? Yes, while keeping your mouth clean is vital to prevent further decay or damage, excessive brushing can actually destroy the tooth enamel and weaken gums.

So what do you do if you’ve noticed your gums are receding, or are encountering symptoms associated with gum disease?

My advice is to book yourself in for a thorough assessment. If left unattended and the gums recede far enough to expose roots, bacteria can build causing pain and possibly eventual tooth loss.

For a detailed consultation, or some advice on how to keep your teeth and gums healthy, give us a call on 020 8088 2079.

Speak Soon,

Ketan

I came across a pretty shocking article the other day and I just had to share it with you.

A poll, surveying 2,000 families estimates that one million children in the UK don’t visit the dentist until at least the age of eight.

As the debate rages over ‘sugar tax’ and the amount of fizzy drinks that children are consuming, it has never been more important to ensure that, from a young age, your children are being given the proper dental treatment, and I’ve got to be honest, these statistics worry me a lot.

You can read the full article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11737008/One-in-seven-children-have-not-seen-a-dentist-by-the-age-of-eight.html

At Brightside Dental, we’re massively dedicated to improving children’s oral hygiene, for the simple reason that we know how much happier and content children are when their mouths are in good order; so I’ll admit that we were all a bit upset by these statistics.

If your child hasn’t been for a checkup recently, I urge you, get it rectified, sooner rather than later, with the school holidays being the perfect time for it.

Speak soon

Ketan

I hope you’re having a great day.  Whilst checking my emails the other day, I came across a news story that I just had to share with you – you can check it out by clicking the link below:

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/norwich_woman_taken_to_court_for_whitening_people_s_teeth_1_4146296

You wouldn’t think that stuff like this happened, but a woman has genuinely been offering teeth whitening services despite not being registered with the General Dental Council.

Remember, if you want teeth whitening, you need to make sure it’s administered by a true professional who knows what they’re doing and has all the relevant qualifications.

Please avoid whitening kits that you can by on the internet or having whitening at a beauty salon as the therapists are not dentally trained and the treatment can do more harm than good – I’ve sometimes seen permanent damage to people’s teeth as a result.  You wouldn’t come to me to have your hair done, would you?

If you’d like any advice on the subject, just give my friendly team a call on 02080882079.

Speak soon

Ketan

Whoever said that dentists and teeth are boring, clearly has not done enough internet research…

Only yesterday I was surfing the net and among the grumpy cats and Disney Princess quizzes – I’m a Pocahontas, in case you were wondering – I saw a little article that I thought was really weird. So weird in fact that I thought I’d share it with you

The title really says it all- ‘Parrot Pulls Kid’s Loose Tooth, Gives Dentists And Bird Owners Everywhere A Panic Attack’

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/18/parrot-pulls-kids-loose-tooth-video_n_7305954.html

Now I wouldn’t say I necessarily had a panic attack, but I did wonder why on earth you’d want to have a parrot rummaging around in your mouth.

Each to their own I guess. But in all seriousness, this isn’t something you should try at home!

For one, as the article said, the bacteria in human mouths is damaging to birds. But also when it comes to children’s wobbly teeth, it’s usually unnecessarily to try and pull milk teeth out at all.

Leaving them to fall out naturally is by far the safest and most pain-free option, and if you’re really worried about any aspect of your children’s teeth, a dentist is your best bet!

I promise, we’re much better qualified than parrots!

If you need any advice at all then just give us a call on 02080882079

Speak soon!