Looking for a Valentine Date?

According to this article from the British Dental Health Foundation, your smile is more important than you think:

A ‘smile' has topped a poll of the most important physical features when it comes to attraction between men and women. 

The results of a survey, carried out on behalf of the British Dental Health Foundation, revealed a smile was rated highly by 56 per cent of respondents, closely followed by faces (53 per cent) and eyes (51 per cent). Dress sense, body shape, hair and height were also measured, with the latter bringing up the rear on 25 per cent.¹

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, believes even a small gesture like a smile can have a big difference when it comes to securing a date for Valentine's Day.

Dr Carter said: "A simple smile can make others feel at ease around you and can be a powerful show of emotion, which can prove remarkably attractive to the opposite sex.

"When preparing for that first date we probably spend more time and money on our hair or the clothes we wear, rather than caring for our teeth. The survey is a great reminder that we should be giving greater attention to our teeth - not just because it improves oral health - but because it gives us the confidence to smile, which makes a major difference to our relationships."

In another new survey, the dating website Match.com found that singles pay attention to teeth more than anything else when judging a potential partner.

Results showed that 58 per cent of single men and 71 per cent of single women consider teeth to be the most important factor when judging a potential date, ahead of clothes, accents, grammar, cars and shoes.²

Dr Carter added: "Smiles can be particularly endearing and are a vital facet of daily life. Studies into smiling suggest they can have a positive effect on our relationships, careers and overall image.

"A nice smile is also a good measurement of our overall hygiene and general lifestyles too. Our teeth demonstrate our cleanliness, reveal what we eat and drink, as well as if we smoke or not.

"So show off your smile and you might secure yourself a date."

---ENDS---

1.British Dental Health Foundation (2011), ‘National Smile Month Survey'.

2.Match.com (2013). ‘What singles consider a ‘must-have', [accessed on 08.02.2013].

Tooth Sensitivity

One common issue patients often raise with their dentist is tooth sensitivity. Many experience it without knowing what causes it. In today’s post we’d like to look at that question.

Often, tooth sensitivity occurs when the gums have receded, leaving the dentine over tooth roots exposed. Tubules in the dentine lead down to the tooth’s nerve. These let stimuli like hot and cold reach the nerve, causing a shock of sensation.

Gum recession is spurred by a variety of factors, including:

Gum Disease

Also known as periodontal disease, this is the primary cause of gum recession. What’s more, recently gum disease has been linked to a variety of health issues such as heart disease. Gum disease can be prevented and if already present, halted by regular visits to a hygienist at your dentist and good oral care at home.

Brushing Technique

How you brush your teeth can impact your oral health. When you brush aggressively using a hard-bristled toothbrush, you aren’t doing your smile any favours. This kind of brushing can harm your gums and your teeth alike. Brush thoroughly but gently using a small head soft toothbrush, taking care to brush the join between the gums and the teeth by brushing at a 45 degree angle to the teeth. For further advice and a free toothbrushing session with our Oral Health Educator, Dawn call us now on 01282 415104.

Teeth grinding/Cracked Teeth

Also known as Bruxism, teeth grinding is a common sign of stress. Over time, grinding will damage teeth, possibly to the point that teeth become cracked. When teeth are cracked, bacteria can gain access to a tooth’s pulp, causing sensitivity. Grinding can easily be prevented with a soft nightguard.

Age

It is not uncommon for adult patients to experience sensitivity, sometimes just by changing brushing habits and the oral hygiene products you use is all it takes to reduce tooth sensitivity. You don’t have to live with the discomfort, long term solutions are possible>

Call us now for a chat or a free consultation on 01282 415104

Some of the information from this article was taken from bestdentistnews.com and adapted with British information

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all our patients, suppliers and customers

Mouthguards

Why use a Mouth Guard when playing sports?

Studies show that more than 200,000 injuries to the mouth and jaw and over 5
million teeth are lost yearly from sport-related injuries. A mouth guard is the
number one solution to this situation.

When to use a mouth guard

        Anyone who plays contact sports including rugby, football, lacrosse, hockey, boxing,  basketball and other contact sports should consider using a mouth guard to reduce chances of impact  damage.

 Other sports as well such as skateboarding, rollerblading, and
biking might want to consider wearing one as well.

REMEMBER that a bit of preventative planning can save time, money, and injury to teeth and mouth.

Many people think that buying the "boil in the bag" mouth guards are good enough, in fact they rarely fit well at all and may come out on impact. 

A custom made mouthguard costs from just £70 and can be made in many colours and patterns

Don't take any chances, call us now on 01282 415104

Job satisfaction

The past few days have seen us look after a young lady who was extremely nervous. She was booked to have a tooth out at the Hospital in the New Year under General Anaesthetic but it was becoming increasingly painful. Mike took the tooth out on Friday for her and although she was nervous she coped really well. She came back today for an examination and had a filling - how good is that !! Mike was able to use the wand for her, our superb painless injection system. She should be very proud of herself, she has come such a long way since Friday and can now enjoy Christmas and New Year. This sort of thing reminds us all just how much we love what we do.

To all our patients and anyone else who reads this:

Staff Training and lunch

We had a staff training day recently, it is great when we all sit down together to discuss what we are doing really well and where we all think we can improve what we do. Mike and Helen then took us to The Fence Gate Inn for lunch, here are some photos of us:

 Julie and Mike

 Helen, Bridget and Danny

 Dawn and Jenny

Bridget and Danny

Invisalign

Mike is on another Invisalign course today in London, there are so many new exciting advances in clear aligners, will post when I know more.......

Helen