Dentist in Leicester

At Smile Essential Dental Practice in Leicester, we are proud to now offer the services of a dental hygienist and therapist.  Why visit a dental hygienist? 

• They are specially trained in the prevention and treatment of gum (periodontal) disease which is the main cause of adult tooth loss and also to give advice on all aspects of good oral health.
• Skill and experience gained focusing on all aspects of gums and soft tissues.
• A dental hygienist will have more time to spend giving personalised oral hygiene advice. 
• Demonstrate effective tooth brushing technique which is important to have a healthy mouth and avoiding damage

What is the difference between a dental hygienist and a dental hygienist and therapist?  A dental hygienist and therapist in addition to the duties of a dental hygienist can also carry out minor dental treatment. Which means in addition to gum related treatments they have also completed appropriate training to perform: simple fillings, replace temporary fillings and crowns, applying sealants and fluorides to teeth to help prevent tooth decay, take x-rays and apply de-sensitising materials.  The benefits of seeing a dental hygienist and therapists  A healthy mouth is vital for your health and will significantly reduce your need for dental treatment in the future. Gum therapy in Leicester is not only about treating existing disease but it focuses on preventing dental disease and it causes you problems in the future.   The stages of gum disease  The first sign you may notice of gum disease also known as gingivitis is bleeding when brushing or you may notice that your gums are red or swollen. At this stage gingivitis is reversible with the right dental hygiene service and home care routine.  When gingivitis is left untreated or there for a long period of time it can develop further into a type of infection known as periodontitis. Periodontitis affects the entire area surrounding the tooth which can lead to discomfort and difficulty when eating. There are a number of types of periodontal disease and they all affect the tissues supporting the teeth.  Eventually, as the disease progresses the bone anchoring the teeth in the jaw diminishes resulting in the teeth becoming loose. If this is not treated, the teeth may eventually fall out and may require extensive dental procedures to replace the missing teeth.  By seeing our dental hygienist and therapist in Leicester and following their treatment and advice you will: 

• Minimise your risk of tooth loss 
• Reduce the risk of developing tooth decay and need for fillings
• Minty fresh breath and sparkly clean teeth
• Better overall health and wellbeing

To take advantage of our dental hygienist and therapist get in touch here...

Tell us a bit about yourself? My name is Rehab I am 23 years old and I have just graduated from University. What's your role at Smile Essential? I am a 'Decontamination Operative', so I'm in charge of cleaning and sterilising all of the instruments used. I also help the other team members so that the dental surgeries run smoothly. What's your most favourite part of the job? My favourite part is knowing that I did my job well because that has an effect on the practice in general. I take pride that people come into lovely clean surgeries. How about your least favourite part? The heat! We use two autoclaves to sterilise instruments and things can get pretty hot. It's challenging on hot days. What do you like about being part of the Smile Essential team? I like that everyone is so close. We're like a small family. When you were little what did you dream you'd do when you grew up? I wanted to be an artist. I still do paint and draw in my spare time. What's your favourite film? It's called the 'Train to Busan' it's a South Korean horror film that has been quite popular. Favourite TV programme? My favourite TV programme is 'That 70's Show', there are 8 seasons and I've watched it 3 times! How important do you think a good smile is? I think it's very important. It is one of the first things people always notice about you. A great smile helps you to feel confident too. Why is good dental health important? Poor dental health can have an effect on your overall health. If you want to be a healthy start with good dental hygiene. How important are regular dental visits? They are vital. The dentist will help to keep you on track with your dental health. Remember they can get to the places you can't. Find out more about the rest of our team...

To the thousands of you who supported us during Mouth Cancer Action Month – thank you. Your activities and events were truly inspiring and undoubtedly had an impact on how much people know about this truly terrible disease. 

At the Oral Health Foundation, we want to the get more mouth cancers diagnosed at an early stage by raising awareness of the disease while encouraging everybody to be more vigilant about changes in their mouth. 

As an entirely independent charity, the Oral Health Foundation relies on the generosity of its supporters to continue its mission and address the inequalities which exist in mouth cancer.

Our vision is to live in a world where nobody loses their live to mouth cancer. 

Your donation will support us in our year-round efforts improve the public’s knowledge of mouth cancer, allow us to provide even more advice and support while enabling us to continue our political work so that we can reduce those affected by mouth cancer while improving the quality of treatment and support in aftercare.  

If our work can save just one of the 2,700 lives that are lost to mouth cancer every year, then it is a more than worthy cause.

Visit www.dentalhealth.org to learn more about our campaigns and activities.

Opening hours during the festive period:

As Mouth Cancer Action Month approaches its final week we thought we would summarise some key facts and give details on further reading. The signs and symptoms of mouth cancer include: • A mouth ulcer that does not heal within three weeks. • White or red patches in the mouth. • Unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth, head or neck. • Any persistent ‘hoarseness’.

Early diagnosis is vital. It increases our chances of beating the disease and gives us a much higher quality of life. Self-checks and regular dental visits are extremely important for spotting mouth cancer in its initial stages. If in doubt, get checked out!

Causes of Mouth Cancer Smoking Around one in six (17%) oral cavity cancers are directly caused by smoking. The risk of being diagnosed with mouth cancer for a smoker is almost double (91%) that of a never-smoker. Alcohol Drinking alcohol to excess is responsible for around a third of all mouth cancers. Those who drink more than 10 units of alcohol a week could be increasing the risk of mouth cancer by 81%. For those who heavily drink alcohol and also smoke the risk increases by 30 times. HPV The human papillomavirus (HPV) type-16 and 18 are linked to around three in four (73%) of oropharyngeal cancers and more than one in ten (12%) oral cavity and hypopharynx cancers. Risk is higher in those with more sexual partners. Age and gender As we get older, our cells and DNA become more damaged. This is either biological or from exposure to the other risk factors. We do not know why mouth cancer rates are higher in men, however, it could be due to greater exposure to risk factors. The other risk factors associated with mouth cancer include: areca (betel) nut, paan masala (Gutkha), chewing tobacco, smokeless tobacco, x-rays and gamma radiation, asbestos, salted fish, formaldehyde, wood dust, overexposure to sunlight, environmental smoke. One of the most important factors for early diagnosis of mouth cancer is self-examination at home. The other is to maintain regular dental visits, where visual mouth cancer checks are done as part of the routine check-up. If you would like more information on then further reading is available. The State of Mouth Cancer UK Report 2018/2019 is the United Kingdom's first comprehensive review into mouth cancer. The report has been released by the Oral Health Foundation and Simplyhealth Professionals as part of November's Mouth Cancer Action Month. The State of Mouth Cancer UK Report 2018/2019 looks at the very latest statistics for the disease. Read the report here... 

Are you able to recognise the changes in your mouth? That’s the question posed by Smile Essential Dental Practice in Leicester as we support a charity campaign to raise awareness of mouth cancer.

The dental practice, based on Narborough Road, Leicester is urging Leicester residents to be more mouth aware and recognise the early warning signs of mouth cancer, for November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month.

With awareness of the disease remaining alarmingly low, Dr Niket Patel say's that a simple 45 second check is often all that’s needed to identify anything unusual and be able to then seek professional guidance.

Dr Niket Patel practice principle says: “Early diagnosis transforms our chances of beating mouth cancer from 50 per cent to 90 percent so it is crucial that we know what to look out for and that we do not hesitate in seeking advice from a health professional.

“A mouth ulcer that does not heal within three weeks, red or white patches in the mouth and unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth or head and neck area, can all be potential signs of mouth cancer so it’s important to be aware of any changes occurring inside your mouth.

“Quite often it is easier to notice lumps and bumps on the outside of the body or to dismiss a mouth ulcer as benign. Most of us will spend at least a few minutes every day in front of a mirror brushing our teeth so while we’re there it makes sense to have a quick look inside the mouth.

“If you keep a lookout for these symptoms then a simple 45 second check really could save your life.

“If you notice anything out of the ordinary, please speak to your dentist or a doctor.”

Mouth Cancer Action Month takes place throughout November and is organised by the Oral Health Foundation.

With around 7,800 Brits diagnosed with mouth cancer last year, the disease is one of the UK’s fastest increasing cancers, with cases rising by a third in the last decade alone.

Survival rates of mouth cancer have not improved in the last 20 years and the oral health charity is concerned that too many are mouth cancers are being diagnosed at a late stage, significantly reducing our chance to beat the disease.

Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE added: “Mouth cancer can appear anywhere in the mouth including the lips, tongue, cheek, throat and gums.

“Mouth cancer can have a devastating effect on a person’s life, impacting on their breathing, eating and speech. Reconstructive surgery could also change their appearance while the experience often has an impact on confidence and self-esteem.

“By developing a greater understanding about the early warning signs and symptoms, the lifestyle factors which increase our risk, and recognising where to go if we notice anything unusual inside our mouth, we can detect mouth cancer early. This will not only improve our chances of beating it but will also reduce the amount of invasive surgery needed to treat it.

“During every dental check-up, your dentist will do a visual examination for mouth cancer and look for anything that might be a cause for concern. That’s why it’s so important to keep regular dental check-ups – it’s not just about the health of our teeth and gums – a trip to the dentist could really be a life saver.”

To find out more information about mouth cancer and Mouth Cancer Action Month, please visit www.mouthcancer.org

We will be wearing it pink in October. Will you support us? On Friday 19th October we at Smile Essential will be wearing pink, all to support Breast Cancer Now and raise money to support life-saving research. Why? Because breast cancer is still here. It’s still tearing apart the lives of families and it’s still taking the lives of the women we love on a heartbreaking scale. Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer Everyone’s breasts are different, and your breasts can change with age and at different times of the month. It’s important to get to know how your breasts normally look and feel so it will be easier to spot if there are any unusual changes for you. If you do spot any unusual changes to your breasts you should get them checked out by your doctor. Breast Cancer Now's Research If we are to meet our ambition that by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer will live, then we need to make sure we fund the most impactful research. Our research is focused on four key areas – risk and prevention, early detection and diagnosis, treatment and secondary breast cancer. We believe this approach to research will allow us to achieve our ambition and stop breast cancer taking lives. You can help us at Smile Essential raise funds by buying our raffle tickets.

Dr Niket Patel and the Smile Essential Dental team are delighted to have been awarded Dental Phobia certification for another year. You may be wondering what it means to be a dental phobia certified dentist? It means that we have dedicated treatments and services especially to help people who have a phobia of coming to the dentist. It also means that we have had to put forward testimonials from patients that we have helped overcome their dental phobia. Here at Smile Essential Dental Practice in Leicester, we have helped hundreds of people with varying degrees of dental anxiety. Every patient that walks through our doors is unique and so is their fear of visiting a dental clinic. That's why our first step is always a friendly open and honest chat. We listen to your fears and any specific reasons that make you feel nervous about your dental appointment. We have heard so many different fears including - the dental chair, a bad experience in the past, the school dentist, fear of injections, feelings of helplessness, the sound of metal, the feel of cotton wool and even the fish on the TV. We have also invested in The Wand which is a digital method of delivering anaesthetic which prevents the pain associated with traditional injections. It ensures anaesthesia is delivered in a pain-free manner. Find out more about visiting our dental practice as a nervous patient...

It's National Smile Month, a month-long campaign designed to create more public awareness about oral health. Smile Essential Dental Practice in Leicester along with thousands of other individuals and organisations The campaign aims to promote 3 key messages: • Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with a fluoride toothpaste. • Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks. • Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend. National Smile Month isn’t just about education and stressing the importance of a healthy mouth. The key to the success of the campaign is that we have lots fun whilst doing it! By taking part in National Smile Month Smile Essential, are helping to create a healthier, happier and smilier world. The campaign channels positivity and promotes the true value of a smile, not only for its benefits towards physical health but mental wellbeing too. Our teeth have such an important role to play in our lives. They help us chew and digest food, they help us to talk and speak clearly and they also give our face its shape. A smile also has other day-to-day benefits. It can give us greater confidence, as well as influence our social lives, careers and relationships. National Smile Month is our chance for us to take a fresh look at our current oral health and make any necessary changes required. Over the recent years, more evidence has been gathered suggesting that poor oral health also puts you at an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, dementia and complications during pregnancy. The best way to maintain great oral health is to:

• Brush twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste

• Clean in-between your teeth once daily with floss or interdental brushes

• Visit your dentist regularly

• Chew sugar-free gum after eating or drinking, especially sugary foods, to help protect your teeth and gums in between meals.

• Wait an hour after eating or drinking anything before brushing as then enamel will be softened and you could be brushing away tiny particles.

• Avoid snacking and try to only have sugary foods and drinks at mealtimes, reducing the time your teeth come under attack.

If you are concerned about your dental health then drop our friendly team an email here...