Author Archives: Brightside Dental

How To Correctly Wear A Face Mask

Wearing a face mask is something we do every day at work, however we appreciate that this is something quite new and feels strange for many people. As it’s become mandatory to wear masks on public transport and in many shops, it something we need to get used to for the foreseeable future.

There are lots of types of face masks available to buy and many people make their own. We want to give some general advice and in particular how to wear a surgical mask.

See advice from Brightside’s Principal Dentist Ketan Shah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bjdn4pyRBg

DO’S: 

  • Wash your hands with soap and water before placing a mask. If you can’t wash your hands, use hand sanitiser 
  • Hold the mask by the loops the correct way round (darker side outwards) 
  • Fully cover your nose, chin and mouth with the mouth 
  • Press the metal/thicker part around your nose 
  • When finished wearing, remove the masks by the loops 
  • Dispose of the mask in a bin 
  • Wash or sanitise your hands

DON’T’s: 

  • Have your nose uncovered when wearing the mask 
  • Have the mask upside down or back to front 
  • Touch the mask while it on where possible 
  • Reuse the mask if it has become contaminated 
  • Share the mask with someone else

Personal Training For Your Mouth And Gums

During the lockdown period, most people have had lots of challenges and one of the most common concerns we are hearing about from our patients is gum issues. For some, it may be that cleaning habits have changed and for others, not being able to have their dental hygienist treatment as planned.

We are very pleased that at Brightside Dental we are able to offer dental hygiene appointments for our patients. As with everything we doing at the moment, there are some differences:

  • Treatment is being carried out fully with hand instruments followed by polishing (as opposed to previously using both hand instruments and ultrasonic scalers). This is because ultrasonics are what’s know as aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) and these are currently deemed as potential high risk procedures. Also, after an AGP, we have to allow 1 hour (known as fallow time) before the room can be used again and this is not practical or financially viable.
  • Appointment times are longer as hand scaling is more manually intensive for our hygienists and also to allow additional cleaning time in between appointments.
  • A dental nurse now assists the hygienist throughout the procedure for your protection and to help give the best treatment outcome
  • We now have two levels of hygiene treatment (previously 3 options). The fee for the treatment is £99. For patients who need more comprehensive treatment or have advanced gum disease, the fee is as before of £145 per visit.
  • We have invested in significant new hand instruments in order compensate for not having the option of using ultrasonics.

Brightside’s principal dentist Ketan gives further advice:

Here are some of the most common questions we have been asked by patients:

  • Is hand scaling as effective as ultrasonic scalers? Yes. Studies show that both treatment methods are just as effective. Hand scaling is more manually intensive for the hygienist and can take longer to perform.
  • Will the treatment be more painful? No. The treatment should not be more uncomfortable for you. In the 3 weeks we have been working this way, we have had great feedback from patients and some actually prefer this method of treatment.
  • When will it be possible to use ultrasonic scalers again and can I wait until then? Yes. You could wait, however at the moment we really don’t know how long this will be for. Currently, we have extended all hygiene visits and 1 hour appointments to allow for treatment and additional cleaning. Previously, many appointments were for half this length. If we introduce AGPS, under the current guidelines this would mean almost 2 hours between each appointment. This would limit the number of patients we can see even more than now and unfortunately, this would not be financially viable for the practice unless treatment fees are significantly increased.
  • I usually have airflow treatment for stain removal. Will this be as effective? No. Airflow uses specific equipment for stain removal. Our hygienists will remove as much staining from your teeth as possible, however is you do have significant staining, removal will be limited.
  • I am a member of the practice. Will I have to pay more for hygiene? No. If possible, we do not want to increase any fees for our members. You will receive hygiene appointments without additional charge within your membership and if you require any additional visits, you will benefit from a 10% discount.

If you are not currently a member and this is somthing you may wish to consider, you can find more details here: https://www.brightsidedental.co.uk/dental-payment-plan.html

Please remember visiting the hygienist is like having a personal trainer- they will help you get your mouth in the best condition possible but the most important part is the work you put in at home every day!

If you would like to become a member of the practice or need any further assistance, please reply to this email or give our reception team a call on 020 88884401.

National Smile Month 2020

National Smile Month is an initiative created by the Oral Health Foundation and takes place once a year. This year it ends on 18th June. The purpose of the campaign is to promote good oral health.

Together, with thousands of individuals and organisations, it highlights three key messages, all of which go a long way in helping us develop and maintain a healthy mouth. They are:

Ultimately, the aim is to help us achieve good physical andmental well-being by improving our oral health.

These messages are important more than ever with the current climate and with limited access to dental care. Although the campaign runs for a month each year, we strongly recommend you follow these habits throughout the year.

We are very pleased that Brightside Dental has re-opened and we are able to provide face to face patient appointments. We are currently prioritising emergency appointments and seeing patients for whom we can complete treatment that was started before lockdown. We are able to provide dental hygienist appointments, which we know many people have been waiting for.

If you need any help or advice, we are here for you and if we are unable to see you for an appointment, phone and video call options with our dentists are available. For more information about treatments we are able to currently provide visit https://www.brightsidedental.co.uk/blog/blog/we-request-our-patients-to-be-patient/

If you need anything, please email [email protected] or call us on 020 88884401.

We Request Our Patients To Be Patient

As you may be aware, Brightside Dental is re-opening for patient appointments from Monday 15th June. We have not been closed, as such during the past 3 months as we have provided advice to hundreds of people on the phone and via video calls during this time.

Many people talk about a “new normal”, however currently in dentistry there is no clear sign of what normal will be. What we do know, is we can’t work the way we did 3 months ago for the foreseeable future.

To put the situation into context, we were ordered to close our practices in March without any prior warning and then our re-opening was announced on BBC news with none of the dental profession having been informed. Since then we have had very varied and conflicting information from our regulators, so much so to the point of receiving an email from the NHS yesterday evening that went against their previous advice. I am not looking to blame anyone, as this situation is unprecedented, however as a profession we feel we have been severely let down and when the guidelines and goalposts keep changing, along with threats of being reported to the General Dental Council, it is very challenging to make plans for the practice.

At Brightside, we are doing our best to ensure we meet regulatory guidelines and our top priority as always is the safety of our patients and team members. Dental practices have always met very high standards for infection control and we have taken additional measures in line with Covid-19. I believe a dental practice is one of safest environments to be in, however there are certain procedures we carry out which may increase risks, which are discussed below.

There are significant changes to the way we will be working and will be modified on an ongoing basis. Initially, we are planning appointments until the end of June. Priorities will be for those in pain and with dental problems and patients that were partway through treatment with us.

In line with social distancing and limiting the number of patients in the practice, along with increased disinfection measures, initially we will be able to see around 25-30% of patient numbers we were previously and will be able to use 2 of our 4 treatment rooms.

We are currently unable to carry out aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) as these are potentially higher risk for spreading Covid-19 and also because we don’t have all the personal protective equipment (PPE) we need to carry out these procedures. We have been sourcing PPE for weeks, however there are significant shortages throughout the country and having only recently received guidance on what we do and don’t need, many items we need are on back order with suppliers.

Many patients have enquired about hygienist treatment, which we are pleased to say we can offer. Please note for the foreseeable future, hygienist treatment will be carried out using hand instruments and not ultrasonic scalers or airflow for stain removal as these create AGPs. Are hygienists are fully trained in working this way and we have invested in significant equipment for them to be able to work. Treatment provided this way is more labour intensive for the hygienist so we will be booking longer appointments for you and the hygienist will be assisted by a dental nurse to improve efficiency for you. This will mean less appointments will be available each day.

Examples of what we can provide:

  • Emergency advice and treatment such as temporary fillings and refining crowns temporarily
  • Denture treatment
  • New patient and existing oral health assessments
  • Routine extractions
  • Teeth whitening
  • Orthodontic treatment (with some limitations)
  • Hygienist treatment with hand scaling

Examples of what we can’t currently provide:

  • AGPs such as fillings, crowns, root canals, dental implant placement, surgical extractions
  • Ultrasonic scaling and airflow for hygiene
  • Surgical extractions

We do still offer the option of a telephone or video consultation where possible in order for you to avoid having to come to the practice if possible.

We have limited appointments overall and these are allocated between NHS and Private patients. There will not currently be appointments available under the NHS for new patients to the practice or those who have not seen us in over 2 years (we may be able to offer private options) as we feel we need to give priority to our existing patients.

I am not asking for you sympathy towards dentists, however I hope this makes you understand why you may not be able to have an immediate appointment with us. Please bear with us and I request that you be kind and considerate to our team members as they are under huge amounts of pressure and are all doing the best they can for our patients.

If you are unsure about whether an appointment would be appropriate, please contact us and we can advise accordingly.

Thank you very much for your patience and understanding.

Information About Brightside’s Reopening

We are very pleased to announce that Brightside Dental will be re-opening for seeing patients from Monday 15th June 2020. Please watch the video below and read the associated information as the way we will be working and managing bookings will be different for the foreseeable future.

Please bear with us – our team will be doing our best to assist you. At the moment guidelines from the government and our regulators are changing on a daily basis. We need to ensure we are meeting our top priority of keeping our patients and team members safe.

If you need any further assistance, in the first instance, email us at [email protected] or call us on 020 88884401.

For the latest practice updates, please visit our social media channels http://www.facebook.com/BrightsideDentalUK and http://www.instagram.com/brightsiden11/

Thanks very much for all your patience and support during these trying times and we hope to see you soon at Brightside.

The Re-Opening Of Dental Practices

Brightside’s Owner Ketan Provides An Update On Dental Services

We found out, without any prior warning at the same time as the rest of the country on Thursday evening that dental practices could re-open from 8th June. Since then, we have had mixed communications from our regulators and have been advised that further guidance on operating procedures will be provided to us next week.

At Brightside Dental, we have been working hard to do everything we can to be able to provide face to face dental care for our patients, however there are many risk assessments; team training; equipment tests and recommissioning; and the most challenging is sourcing the appropriate PPE required. None of these can be finalised until we have the further information by the government and our regulators.

We are doing everything we can to be able to open as soon as possible, however the safety of our patients and team members comes first and we need to ensure that can be met.

We will start booking appointments once we are able to and these will be initially for dental problems.

If you do wish to book an appointment, please contact us by email at info@brightsidedental. co.uk or message us via our social media channels and we will advise you accordingly.

In the meantime, if you do have a dental problem and need some help, we are available by email or phone.

Thanks very much for your continued patience and understanding and we expect to have a further update for you next week.

How Can I Stop Grinding My Teeth?

Teeth grinding (or bruxism) is becoming an increasingly common problem for people – both children and adults. What we have found at Brightside Dental over the past few weeks is that a significantly increased number of people are suffering from teeth grinding – including a number of members of our team. This is likely to be due to huge lifestyle changes, stress and pressure because of the impact of Coronavirus.

Teeth grinding or bruxism can affect quality of sleep
Teeth grinding or bruxism can affect quality of sleep


Many of our patients do not know they are grinding their teeth as often they would not be aware of the issue while sleeping, unless it wakes them at night or causes jaw pain. You may notice rough areas on the inside of the cheeks, or if the problem is advanced, the front teeth may wear down or chip and could become sensitive. Other issues can be with broken fillings and recession of the gums.

Brightside’s Principal Dentist Ketan Gives Advice

Ideally you should seek the advice of a dentist and consider having a nightguard made to protect your teeth from further damage. Sometimes there can be other underlying issues impacting the problem and it can be appropriate to seek the advice of a specialist or a physiotherapist. Here is some further information about teeth grinding and details of treatment we can provide at Brightside Dental https://www.s4sdental.com/teeth-clenching-grinding-migraines-headaches https://www.brightsidedental.co.uk/headaches-and-snoring-bounds-green.html

We appreciate that you currently can’t have treatment with a dentist so here are 10 things you can try to help reduce the problem:

  • Daily exercise to help relieve stress
  • Meditation or relaxation
  • Limit alcohol and caffeine intact especially in the evening
  • Avoid use of phones, computers and TVs at least 1 hour before going to bed to help have a better nights sleep
  • Avoid very hard and sticky foods which create more pressure on your jaw joints
  • Don’t chew on things you shouldn’t such as pens
  • Have a warm bath before bed
  • Use a heat pack or hot water bottle and place on each side of the face near the jaw joints for 5-10 minutes
  • Jaw exercises – watch video above for advice on simple exercises you can carry out and more from this link https://www.healthline.com/health/tmj-exercises#exercise
  • You could try using a mouthguard from a chemist or online as a temporary measure. It won’t fit anywhere near as well as a custom made guard, but may offer some help. It’s likely to be better to get one that can be moulded rather than a standard size

If you are grinding your teeth, it would definitely be advisable to have a professionally custom made nightguard by your dentist. If this is something you would like to consider, please let us know and we can arrange to see you as soon as possible once we reopen to minimise any delay for you.

Are We Able To Start Seeing Dental Patients Yet?

As a result of Boris Johnson’s announcement on Sunday 10th May and his guidelines on planned changes to lockdown and working patterns, we have had a number of enquiries from patients as to whether we can now re-open the practice.

Based upon the announcement, dental practices should be able to reopen as we are unable to perform our work from home. However, this is not the case as we need further guidance and approval from our dental regulators before we can arrange appointments. https://www.bda.org/advice/Coronavirus/Pages/patients.aspx

Brightside’s Principal Dentist Gives An Update On Our Position

At Brightside Dental, our position remains the same that our first priority is the safety and welfare of our patients and team members.

We have been doing a lot of work whilst closed to ensure we can meet increased safety measures in addition to the rigorous measures we already take in the practice.

We will ensure that when we do reopen, we will work in the safest way possible and also so that we can provide high quality dental care for our patients.

We will continue to keep you informed of developments as they progress. We fully appreciate this situation is not ideal, especially if you have had a dental problem during the past few weeks. Please check in on our social media channels for the latest updates http://www.facebook.com/BrightsideDentalUK, http://www.instagram.com/brightsiden11/

In the meantime, if you do need any kind of advice or assistance, please do contact us – we are available by email, phone or video call options for you.

Brightside’s 10 Year Anniversary

Brightside Dental will have been running for 10 years on 1st May this year. The dental practice was first established over 40 years ago and I have been working here for just under 16 years. Although current circumstances mean we can’t formally celebrate, this is a fantastic milestone we have reached.

I am hugely proud of the progress we have made at the practice during the past 10 years, which has meant we can serve our patients better by offering a wider range or treatment options; advanced equipment and technology as well as more comfortable surroundings. We have invested significantly in both financially and time in equipment, refurbishments and technology.

This started with becoming computerised on the first day I took over ownership; full refurbishment of all our treatment rooms and creating a dedicated decontamination room to various projects being worked on including contactless check in and departure when visiting us – which is now very relevant with Covid-19.

I would like to thank all of our patients, whether joining the practice recently or those who have been with us for the whole of my time here, with many who have been with the practice from the start in the 1980’s; our team members both past and present whose hard work and commitment has helped us progress to where we are; also all suppliers, coaches and consultants who have provided invaluable support and advice.

Although the practice is currently closed, I look forward to the (delayed) start to our next decade and look forward to providing the best care we can for our patients and continuing progressing in the ethos of Brightside Dental.

Ketan Shah. Practice Principal

Morning Routine Habits

For most of us, over the past few weeks our lives and daily habits have changed dramatically. Now more that ever, it’s important to have some structure and routine to help us through these difficult times and also ideally to be able to continue and maintain this once a new “normal” becomes reality. This situation will end and it’s important that we are in the best mental and physical state to move forward in the best possible way.

In these series of 5 videos, Brightside’s principal dentist Ketan discusses his morning routine and how the lockdown has given an opportunity to make these actions daily habits as part of a routine.

Here are the links and information on the resources discussed in the video with details of offers available.

If you would like any further information from Ketan or any of our team, please contact us.