Author Archives: Smile Essential

What to do following a dental extraction

The following steps will help prevent bleeding and relieve soreness after a dental extraction

 ON THE DAY OF TREATMENT

  • Rest for a few hours, but you do not have to lie down.
  • Strenuous exercise is best avoided for a few hours.
  • Do not vigorously rinse the mouth for at least 24 hours.
  • Avoid HOT fluids, alcohol, hard or chewy foods.  Choose cool drinks and minced or soft foods.
  • Should the wound start to bleed, apply a small compress. This can be made from some cotton wool in a clean handkerchief.  Place this on the bleeding point and bite firmly on it for 5-10 minutes, longer if necessary.
  • Any pain or soreness can be relieved by taking pain killers advised by your Dentist.
  • If prolonged bleeding or pain occurs, contact your Dentist.
  • Smoking is best avoided for 24 hours following treatment.

 ON THE DAY FOLLOWING TREATMENT

  • It may be beneficial to use an antiseptic rinse or a warm salt water rinse to bathe the wound.  This may be carried out after each meal until healing is complete.  A salt water rinse is made by dissolving a level teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.  The solution should be held in the mouth for two to three minutes to bathe the wound and then discarded.
  • Continuing mild pain can be treated by taking pain killers, but not containing any aspirin

 IF IN ANY DOUBT-CALL THE PRACTICE ON 0116 2891317

Avoid costly dental treatment with regular check ups at Leicester Dentists

Looking after the health of your teeth is fundamental to avoiding dental problems occurring in the future. When it comes to the health of your teeth it really is prevention that plays the biggest part in keeping them healthy. As well as brushing and flossing as part of a complete and thorough home dental hygiene routine, it is also very important that you keep up regular six-month dental appointments with your dentist.

Leicester dentists recommend six-months as the maximum time you should go without having a check up. In some cases it will need to be shorter but your dentist will keep you fully informed. Six-months is the maximum time because this will give you the best chance of avoiding any dental problems that can arise. Even if you start to succumb to dental decay or gum disease, as long as you visit a dentist within six-months it will usually be enough time to catch the problem before it gets too serious. Treating decay and disease at their earliest stages will give you the best chance of beating the condition and avoiding the need for more serious, costly and painful dental treatment. It will also help to keep your teeth in the best condition possible.

There is also a more serious reason why check ups are important. With one in three adults in the UK suffering from cancer at some point it is crucial we do all we can to be aware of the disease. Oral cancer is a very nasty form of cancer that occurs on the soft tissue of the mouth. A dentist will carry out a thorough check for cancer as part of a routine check up which could just save your life.

September is Colgate Oral Health Month

September sees the launch of Colgate Oral Health month which is an annual education campaign in association with the British Dental Association. It aims to raise awareness and educate on key oral health messages. This years theme is Discover three essentials for an even healthier mouth and it has the following key messages:

Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and replace your toothbrush regularly
Avoid sugary snacks between meals
Visit the dentist regularly

You can find out more information from the Colgate Website

Book an appointment with us to get more information on how you can improve your oral health.

Smile Essential RUNS the Race for Life 2010

On Sunday 13th June 2010, the team from Smile Essential ran the 5 km Race for Life at Loughborough.

A record number of about 3,400 women and girls took part in the race in Loughborough and they were expected to raise about £200,000 for the charity. Many were sporting fancy dress, and some were wearing touching messages about loved ones they had lost to the disease.

Practice manager  Dawn Massey said, “It’s just a really good day out. We walked round and just had a nice girly chat! We had fantastic warm-ups before the race and the weather was great.”

Dental Receptionist Adele Wright  added,”It was a fantastic atmosphere and everyone has been having a really great time. I will definitely be doing it again next year!”

Dentist Lina Kotecha  said “It was a brilliant day and very emotional. You ran along looking at all the messages people had written on their back about loved ones they had lost and it did bring a tear to your eye. Lots of our patients and family and friends have been generous to sponsor us  and it’s been brilliant to take part. It’s been lots of fun.”

Smile Essential are proud to announce that they have raised just over £1500 for Cancer Research.

Thank you to all our patients, families, friends, suppliers and labs for their generous support.

How can I prevent my teeth from becoming discoloured?

“I’ve had whitening done and I’m really happy with the results but I’m scared of them going back to how they were before. How can I prevent discoloration?”

  1. See your dentist for professional cleaning at the recommended time  (usually every 3-6mths)
  2. If drinks have a high stain potential, use a straw
  3. Remember to brush shortly after you have foods or drinks that are highly staining. If you can’t, try to rinse with lots of water.
  4. Avoid abrasive toothpastes which may wear the enamel, exposing more of the darker substructure in your tooth (the dentine)
  5. Don’t smoke!

Finally, use your home whitening kit to give you a little boost occasionally!

Discover the benefits of teeth whitening at Leicester dentist

A lifetime of eating and drinking can have a detrimental effect on your teeth. Food and drink contains colouring that over time penetrates the tooth enamel and makes the teeth lose their original colour. Certain substances are particularly bad for causing staining such as red wine and coffee. Tobacco is also very bad for causing discolouration of the teeth.

When the teeth are discoloured they can look very unattractive and it can also add years to your appearance. Yellow or discoloured teeth can therefore cause a great deal of emotional anxiety and self-esteem issues for many people. However, there are a number of ways you can improve the appearance of discoloured teeth. One of the most popular is a cosmetic procedure called teeth whitening.

This involves applying a peroxide based gel to the teeth in specially designed trays. The gel seeps into the tooth enamel and stains it white, returning the enamel to a more natural and healthy colour of white. Tooth whitening is more effective for some people than it is for others but in most cases it will produce noticeable results and in some cases can even whiten teeth by up to ten shades.

Leicester dentists offer teeth whitening as a standard procedure. This is in contrast to about ten years ago when tooth whitening was a relatively exclusive treatment that was very expensive. Greater demand and developments in technology over recent years have made tooth whitening more available and more affordable to the extent it is now considered a standard cosmetic treatment, such as a hair cut or nail appointment.

There is little or no risk involved with teeth whitening if carried out by a dentist. They can use the necessary safety equipment to protect the soft tissue areas of the mouth. The worst most patients experience is a slight feeling of sensitive teeth for a day or so after treatment.

Dental nurse Emilia graduates with flying colours

 

We are delighted to announce that Emilia Leszczynska is over the moon at graduating in her nursing qualification, not only achieving a very rare merit but also winning an award for the most improved student of her class – wow!!!

Many of our patients know that Emilia has been working very hard over the past 18 months to achieve her qualification in dental nursing and we are all really proud of her achievements. She has shown a very understanding approach to patient care and her constant enthusiasm to excel in patient care proves that she is a worthy asset not only to Smile Essential but the profession.

Ten Reasons to Smile

At Smile Essential, we are mid-way through our series of special events at the practice as part of National Smile Month 2010 and wanted to share our 10 good reasons to smile with you.

We all know that it feels great to smile. We smile when we feel happy and are enjoying life, but did you know that smiling is actually good for our health?

There are so many reasons why smiling is good for us, so now we have another reason to smile. It is good for us! Here are some reasons to keep smiling today!

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive

We are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction factor. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces all push people away — but a smile draws them in.

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood

Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There’s a good chance you mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is Contagious

When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them. Smile lots and you will draw people to you.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress

Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you’ll be better able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System

Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure

When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin

Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger

The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don’t go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day — you’ll look younger and feel better.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful

Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It’s hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is Good!” Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Please pass it on and tell all your friends

If you have found this blog helpful please pass it on to your friends, colleagues, schools and nurseries and help us help more people SMILE!

Dentist Lina Kotecha with some of her younger patients attending the practice during National smile Month 2010

National Smile Month 2010 comes to Leicester

National Smile Month 2010 is taking place between May 16th and June 16th under the tagline ‘Teeth4Life.’, and here at Smile Essential we are proud to be participating in this nationwide event.

On your next visit to the practice, look out for a series of special events for all members of the family including special treats for children with free giveaways and balloons and all adults are invited to enter our fundraising prize draw to win a home tooth whitening package (RRP £399) for £1.  We will also be giving you the opportunity to sample some of the latest oral health products completely free of charge!

Outside of the practice, the team are hosting events at local schools to help to promote the importance of healthy teeth and healthy eating.

Lina Kotecha commented “we are delighted to get involved in National Smile Month and to give a little bit back to the residents of Leicester. Good oral health is very important and we are always looking for ways to help improve the dental health of our patients.

This year’s National Smile Month maintains the British Dental Health Foundation’s key messages: brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visit the dentists as regularly as they recommend.

There is now significant scientific evidence that links good oral health with overall health, the research clearly links gum disease to heart disease, diabetes, strokes and premature and low birth weight babies.