Patient Information

Congratulations!

 

We have had some great news at Smile Essential. Adele our lovely receptionist is expecting her third child on June 7th 2013. We wish Adele, husband Andy and their two girls our heart felt congratulations. Though we will be sad to lose her while on maternity leave. But probably not as much as some of you, our patients. Adele always offers a warm welcome and she is the first port of call when getting in touch with the practice.

It’s a well documented fact that dental related problems can occur while pregnant. Taking care of your oral health is crucial during your pregnancy. All that progesterone and oestrogen swimming around your body can cause gums to soften and bleed leaving you more susceptible to gum disease, sensitivity and other tooth problems.  During pregnancy your blood flow increases by 30-50%, which explains those radiant rosy cheeks but also explains the increased blood flow to your gums that can cause gum problems. In the UK half of all pregnant woman suffer from pregnancy gingivitis (combined gum disease and sensitivity) which left untreated could effect both mother and baby. But  follow these simple tips and being pregnant shouldn’t really pose to much of a problem.

  • Make an appointment: It’s vital your Dentist can monitor the overall health of your mouth and give any necessary treatment or advice.
  • Brushing: It is more important than ever to brush and floss your teeth effectively during your pregnancy. Brush regularly and thoroughly (though not too vigorously) after meals or sugary snacks, at least twice a day.
  • Invest in a good toothbrush: Using an electric/battery operated brush with fluoride toothpaste will ensure a thorough clean. If your budget is limited to a manual brush, opt for a soft, but firm bristled brush that will reach all those hard-to-get-to areas at the back of your mouth. It’s also important to floss at least once a day.
  • If you’re suffering from pregnancy sickness: Avoid the temptation to brush immediately after being sick, the acid from your stomach can cause tooth erosion which will worsen with brushing. Opt for a drink of water instead and return to brushing your teeth around an hour later.
  • Rinse aid: Pregnancy sickness is common and the acid can be very damaging to the surface of your teeth. If you experience pregnancy sickness make sure you rinse your teeth with mouthwash. Opt for a minty flavour that will refresh rather than adding to the nausea!
  • Mini brush and paste: Pregnancy can induce sugary cravings which you can ward off by cleaning your teeth on the go. Keep a mini brush and tube of paste in your bag at the ready for when those cravings strike.  
  • Watch your diet: Try not to give in to too many sugary cravings and stick to a healthy, well balanced diet packed with nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables.

And remember if at all concerned talk to your dentist.

The art of fillings

It’s a new year, and everyone has resolutions to make changes in their lives. Teeth are no exception in the whole make-changes-for-the-better thing. They need a makeover too! Even if it’s just as simple as getting your old silver/mercury fillings exchanged for new tooth coloured ones. There has never been a better time as Nik and Lina both attended an advanced composite fillings course (white or tooth coloured fillings to you or I) and have now completed quite a few fillings with the latest techniques. We thought we would share a few pictures with you. If you are a member at Smile Essential Dentist on our Smile Plan you can save 15% discount on cosmetic fillings too!

Are you smiling on your facebook picture?

We all know what www.facebook.com is… and for those who don’t where have you been?!

We have our photos on it… whether we like it or not! Even here at Smile Essential our Practice Manager Dawn who hasn’t got a facebook account is aware that we all tag photos of her at social events, even though she doesn’t have a profile.

Facebook is ourselves in digital form, we have a status, we have a wall, we express what religion we are or not, we have a relationship status, share what we like and what we don’t like and we all have photos.

Is your profile photo displaying what you want it to? There’s no secret, those who don’t like their smile don’t smile on their photographs or will smile falsely hiding their teeth.

So we all scour the multitude of photos that display us at the right angle and in the right light and a shot we’re happy for anyone and everyone to see. If the fact you’re not smiling on your photos bothers you, look at getting something done about it. With the options available you’d be surprised what a dentist here in Leicester can do for you and also how affordable some of the treatments can be. Sometimes its a chip on the tooth and getting that sorted can make all the difference, sometimes it’s that fact you’re not happy with the colour of your teeth, whatever the reason may be we will be able to offer you a solution to make you smile.

To find out more call us on 01162891317 or drop us an email info@smileessential.co.uk

Have you been Enlightened? Its as easy as one, two, three!

We have been offering Enlighten at Smile Essential for a few years now and earlier on this year we decided to only offer Enlighten for tooth whitening. Why did we do this? To put it simply Enlighten offers results that aren’t even comparible to other tooth whitening solutions, all of our patients have been delighted with the results and the ease of the treatment. Whats more here at Smile Essential we actually guarantee you will acheive the B1 shade, that is the lightest on our tooth shade chart.

Commonly asked questions are-

My teeth are really dark will it work for me?
Yes at Smile Essential we guarantee you will achieve the B1 shade no matter what colour your teeth were to start with.

Will my teeth be sensitive?
With some tooth whitening systems transient sensitivity can be a huge problem. However with the Enlighten system Smile Essential patients rarely report sensitivity problems that haven’t been resolved with the specially designed sensitive tooth serum contained as part of your package.

How long will the whitening last?
The results will last indefinitely as long as you look after your tooth whitening trays and carry out a top up one night every couple of months.

Do I have to be a Patient of Smile Essential?
No we carry out free tooth whitening consultations for everyone. Smile Essential has acheived the Gold standard from the British Bleaching Dental Society and we are the only Practice in Leicester to have been awarded this, so your in safe hands having your teeth whitened with us.

The process is very simple and generally takes 3 appointments. The first appointment is for a free consultation to check that your suitable and what your tooth whitening goals are, if you are happy we can take the impressions at this stage to make your uniquely designed tooth whitening trays. The second appointment is when the uniquely designed tooth whitening trays are fitted and then you start to whiten your teeth from home each evening for the next 2 weeks. Then on the final appointment at Smile Essential we complete in-surgery laser tooth whitening whilst you can relax and watch a DVD and then we will reveal your new Enlightened Smile. As easy as one, two, three!

You can get in touch with one of the friendly team at Smile Essential tel-0116 2891317 email- info@smileessential.co.uk to book in for your free consultation or answer any further question you may have on gaining an Enlightened Smile.

Detecting and Treating Tooth Decay at Smile Essential

Tooth decay is a silent problem, creeping up on the teeth gradually, never revealing itself until it has caused lasting damage and persistent pain.

However, at Smile Essential Dental Practice we can spot and treat even the tiniest bit of decay during a routine check-up.

How we can spot and treat tooth decay?

The early stages of tooth decay are usually unnoticeable and they cause no pain. However, we use magnification during our dental check-ups to pin-point evening the smallest instance of decay and fill it before it can spread and become a cavity.

We can also use dental x-rays to explore the inside of a tooth if we feel it may be infected.

How does tooth decay occur?

The start of decay may begin with a mild rise in the level of sugar you consume or a decline if the amount of time you spend on your dental hygiene, whatever the root cause tooth decay generally occurs for the same reason each time-dental bacteria creates plaque, which eats away first at the enamel, then the dentin before reaching the dental chamber inside the tooth and infecting the pulp and tissue inside.

Once this infection has entered the tooth the pain begins and sadly it may be too late to save the tooth. The dental pulp inside a tooth is what keeps it alive, so once this has become infected the tooth is technically dead. Treatments such as root canal therapy can be used to clean and sterilise the tooth, after which a crown will be placed over the damaged tooth to restore its strength, but it will never match the strength of a natural tooth.

During our dental check-ups we locate the very early signs of decay to stop this from happening and prevent you from loosing your teeth, for beautiful and healthy smiles.

Looking after the younger members at Smile Essential

Looking after your child’s teeth

Step one: Visiting the Dentist

Bring your child with you when you visit Smile Essential for a dental check up. This will help him or her get used to the surroundings at the practice, and also get to know the dentists. There is no need for a young child to be examined or sit in the dental chair at first, but our welcoming and considerate dentists will decide when the time is right. The most important thing is that we can build a great and relaxed relationship with yourself and also the child.

There is no need to ‘prepare’ your child for a visit to Smile Essential. It should be a casual visit, just like going to the shops.

Step two: Tooth Brushing

As soon as your baby has tooth, brush it gently with a soft baby brush and smear of toothpaste made for children. Try to do this twice a day. Our dentists will give you advice on the different brands available – this is important if you live in an area where fluoride is present in the water.

Your child will soon try brushing, and this should be encouraged even though they might chew the brush a little at first. It is necessary for an adult to assist tooth brushing for at least the first 6 years in a child’s life.

You will find it easier to assist if the child sits or stands facing away from you, or resting their head against you. Use one hand for the brush and the other to part the lips.

Step Three: Taking care with your child’s diet

It is important that children develop good eating habits. This will do more to protect their general health as well as dental health in later life. A poor diet can affect the teeth in two ways, it can increase dental decay and it can lead to erosion (dissolving away) of the tooth surface. Whilst it is a fact that some children are difficult or ‘faddy’ eaters a few general rules will help.

Dental decay forms when acids are produced in plaque on the teeth. In order to reduce decay the teeth should be brushed thoroughly to remove plaque; food and drink that produces acid should be restricted to mealtimes as far as possible. If acidic fruit or fruit drinks have been consumed do not brush the teeth straight away, leave it for an hour or so. It is best to avoid eating and drinking for one hour before going to bed.

If you have any questions about your child’s dental care. Please get in touch

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Potential Problems for Stressed Patients

If you suffer from a lot of stress, you may well be doing a lot of damage which may become very serious in the future when the damage comes to light. One of the problems caused by stress is teeth grinding. Something you would probably know about and are suffering from for a prolonged period of time. This condition comes from the inability to relax after a heavy day and if you take that pent-up stress to the bedroom with you, you may well be getting a poor night’s sleep as well as grinding your teeth.

If your teeth and jaws are starting to ache in the morning, it’s a sign that you’re having a problem, but if your jaws start to click, even lock in place, or your teeth look worn, it can be a serious problem. It is imperative that this is treated right away, otherwise you could be doing untold damage to your upper body- from your teeth to your neck. A dentist can prescribe you some form of mouth-guard to save your teeth, as well as rebuilding really damaged ones, but that doesn’t get to the core of the problem- stress!

Stress needs to be defused in order to stop the grinding; if you identify that you suffer from a stress, your dentist can help guide you towards some simple exercises that will help your jaw and teeth, that you can do before your head hits the pillow, and hopefully stop you grinding your teeth.

We at Smile Essential, hope this helps and if you do experience any problems, we’ll be happy to help.

Five ways to improve your smile: Tips from Smile Essential Dental Team

1) Book regular appointments with your dentist – You’ll be surprised how many people in Leicester do not have regular dental check ups.

2) Dental Hygiene – Brushing your teeth twice a day using mouthwash and floss and booking in to see the dentist will help maintain your sparkling smile.

3) Quit smoking – Asides from the health benefits and financial benefits, quitting smoking can do wonders for your smile.

4) Cosmetic Dentistry – There are many different cosmetic dental treatments on offer to increase your confidence and to correct many dental problems. Give us a call and come and see us, and we’re sure that we can help.

5) Improve your Diet – Many foods can stain and damage your teeth such as coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and red wine. Cutting these out of your diet isn’t necessary. By reducing how much you consume, will increase your dental health and keep your smile whiter, brighter and beautiful.

If you would like any further information then please give us a call on 0116 2891317.

Smile Essential Dental Practice

Creating Confidence