Christmas at Smile Style

Changing the World one Smile at a Time

Nerves

Real mixed emotions now - Sad as a chapter of my practicing life draws to a close - Excitement at the thought of opening the practice I planned when I started as a Dentist - Blind Panic at the thought of what we need to do, set up, move and coordinate - Confidence as I know I have the best team in the world. Can't wait to welcome you to 24 Lichfield Road the HOME of Pain Free Life Transformational Dentistry.

Are your gums Killing you or your unborn child?

Most people come to see me because they have a tooth problem. What do I mean, well they have a broken tooth, painful tooth, sensitive teeth or they don’t like the fact they have a missing tooth or teeth. Their teeth are crowded or they are unhappy with the colour, but very few come to see me because their gums are killing them or their unborn child.

Strong words I hear you say ‘KILLING’ how could that be. Very few people realise the importance of having a healthy mouth because we focus on teeth and not gums yet without your gums you would have no teeth. Gum disease is still the main reason we loose our teeth in later life yet this is not what I am talking about.

In February 2010 it was reported that a baby was killed by the mother’s gum disease. We suspected gum disease increased the risk of have a low birth weight or still born child but this case reported in the journal Obstetrics and Gynaecology – reveals the case of a 35 year old woman who had the common gum disease gingivitis. Yes simply bleeding gums. The baby was stillborn at 39 weeks with traces of bacteria from its mother’s mouth in its lungs, stomach and blood stream.

If you are a diabetic you know that your aim is to control your blood sugars because it is high blood sugars that lead to serious complications, such as eye problems and heart disease. It is thought that when bacteria infect the mouth and cause inflammation, the resulting chemical changes reduce the effectiveness of insulin and raise the levels of blood sugar.

Are you at risk of a heart attack or just had one because of your gums? We know that inflammation caused by gum disease can affect blood vessels and causes furring of the arteries in a similar way to cholesterol. Bacteria in the mouth is associated with heart attacks even when other factors known to contribute to poor heart health such as have high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, body weight and smoking, are adjusted for.


Here at Smile Style we know that gum disease is very treatable and are best placed to help as we the highest ratio of hygienists to dentist is the area. That is one hygienist to each of our dentists. We also have Oral Health trained nurses because your dental health first. Most dental health advice says see a dentist regularly but I suggest seeing a hygienist may actually save your life.


A good oral health routine should include twice daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste, cutting down how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visiting the dentist and hygienist regularly. Cleaning between the teeth is also important and should be done once-a-day using floss or interdental brushes.

When brushing put the bristles at the join between teeth and gums, pointing towards the gums, and brush using short circular movements. Brush all round every tooth, carefully making sure you can feel the brush on your gums. Don't use too much force - give your teeth and gums a gentle scrub. Thorough brushing takes two or three minutes. After brushing, you should spit out the toothpaste - but do not rinse, as this lessens the effect of the fluoride. Flossing or use of interdental brushes daily is also recommended this is trickier to master but we are happy to help you.

Are your gums red, puffy or shiny?

Do your gums ever bleed when you brush them?

Do your gums become sore and bleed if you floss or use interdental brushes?

Are you teeth looking long because the gums have receded?

Have you noticed your breath smells or a regular bad taste?

These are common signs of gum disease. Don’t make the fatal mistake for you or your baby of ignoring these signs. Make your half price dental health assessment with Smile Style today.

Site Visit to 24 Lichfield Road

www.smilestyledentist.co.uk Dentist Richard Howarth with Practice Manager Julie Randle and Jeni Howarth who will be opening a new skin health centre above the dental practice visited 24 Lichfield Road to see how work on Stafford's new Life Transformational Dental Practice is progressing.

So where are we up to? The roof has been done and the preparation work inside completed ready for the renovation and installation of the new dental practice.

Richard enjoyed looking like Bob the builder while Julie was dissappointed not to take how her new outfit.

The new premises will be open in the autumn - we all can not wait to show you the new facilaties.

Clenching and Grinding Teeth, Headaches and Jaw Pain.

Clenching and Grinding your Teeth

To understand why Clenching and Grinding (Bruxing) your teeth can be a problem you need to understand what is normal. Usually your teeth only touch when you swallow, which is a light contact and spaced out regularly throughout the day. This means your teeth only touch for about 10 minutes each day.

When you clench or grind, your teeth are in contact much longer. It could easily be 2 hours a day which is equal to an increase of 12 times. For example if you usually walked 1 mile each day it would be like walking 12 miles instead. This probable would be fine except that when a person clenches or grinds then they bite with forces 10-16 times normal chewing forces. Back to the walking analogy, this would be like walking 120 miles a day. The joint and muscles are just like other joints and muscles if you over stress them they let you know about it.

Headaches and Jaw Pain

Probably the most common symptom caused by Bruxing is headaches or jaw pain. Grinding our teeth commonly occurs at night and is a subconscious response to stress. Many people will wake up with a tired face, feeling like they have had poor sleep and can have a headache or sore jaw. These symptoms can sometimes be helped by taking painkillers but in doing so all you are doing is treating the symptoms. The other problem with just ignoring the cause is that the excessive forces damage your teeth.

Damage to your Teeth

This damage can be wear and chipping of your teeth with front teeth looking square and short, the photo below is a good example of this.

For back teeth this can lead to breaking and fracture both of teeth and restorations. I have on occasions had to remove back teeth that have been fractured in two by a patient who grinds. Another common symptom of clenching and grinding your teeth is sensitivity to hot and cold food and drink. The extreme forces bend your teeth causing micro cracks and loss of mineral at the necks of teeth and these exposed areas are sensitive.

Solutions for Teeth Clenching and Grinding

If your teeth have not been damaged and the problem is one of pain from the muscles or joints we have a range of mouth splints or guards to reduce the habit of clenching or grinding. Commonly just worn at night they will relieve the symptoms and reduce the need for painkillers and giving you better sleep.
If your teeth are sensitive we can now cure the pain. It is also important to then deal with the clenching or grinding otherwise over time the symptoms will return.If the teeth are damaged various techniques such as [crowns and veneers] are needed to restore the teeth. The dentistry done to repair the damage is no different than tooth tissue and needs protecting as it is widely accepted by dentists that once a clencher or grinder then you will always tend to continue this habit. This again means wearing a mouth splint at night is an important element of rehabilitation. Its worth it just look at the result.

After

As it is believed stress has a role to play in these problems it is also important if possible to deal with this if possible and it may also relate to your posture as your head is balanced on top of your spine so in some cases it is important to include podiatry and osteopathy to get the best results.

February Quiz - Draw from the correct entries.

Find out who won the Thorntons Chocolates in February's Quiz

Do you enjoy Eating?

Check out Richard's latest article http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Little-Known-Fact&id=3822755. A must if you enjoy eating.

Professional Tooth Whitening with Smilestrips™, whiter teeth for your Prom, Wedding, Job Interview or Dating.

As an introduction to tooth whitening, Smilestrips™ offer exceptional value for money. A brief assessment at Smile Style and you are ready to start your no fuss whitening. You do not need any impressions, trays making or a long time in a dental chair.

Have a Great Smile for your Prom or Wedding

On these occasions it’s all about attention to detail, your hair, your dress and makeup. With Whiter teeth you will smile with confidence too, however close that camera comes.

First Impressions count when it comes to getting a Job or Dating

A smile opens many doors and melts many a heart. Research has shown that when it comes to securing a new job how you look is very important. An element of this is a confident smile. When it comes to dating a healthy smile has been rated as very important by women when choosing a partner.

Smilestrips™ as seen on ‘this morning’ and featured in ‘Hello’

For more information visit http://www.smilestyledentist.co.uk/Smilestrips/smilestrips.html

Can’t wait to get your whiter smile call us now on 01785 225505

We answer your call 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Or Email ‘Smilestrips’ to smile.style@btconnect.com

No Drill Dentistry.

New revolutionary treatment to save your teeth

Smile Style Dental Care Centre launches new no drill technique which painlessly stops early disease in teeth. As featured in the Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1249205/Acid-syringe-spell-end-dentists-drill.html

This treatment stops disease in your teeth without having to drill it out and is completely painless.

Tooth disease initially starts not as a hole but as a white or brown patch as acid making bacteria in your mouth dissolves mineral from your teeth. A common place to see this disease is between your teeth. A dentist can check these areas with a dental radiograph. On the x-ray film a dentist would see a dark area which indicates that this part is less dense confirming mineral has been lost and disease is starting. The reason early disease appears white is because the light is stopped by the micro holes in the tooth enamel. This scatters the light rather than transmitting it as with healthy tooth enamel.

Over time as the area of mineral loss increases, it weakens and eventually collapses and now you have a physical hole in your tooth. At this point the diseased area has to be cut out with a dental drill and replaced with a filling. This involves an injection to stop the procedure being painful. The average life of a filling is about 12 years which means once a tooth has had one filling it is in a cycle of repair and will need filling again in the future.

How it works.

This revolutionary therapy is designed to cure the problem and stop the disease in its tracks so the tooth is strengthened and a filling is avoided. Once early disease is identified by the dentist the effected tooth is isolated using a special thin piece of rubber like a rain coat. The tooth is carefully cleaned with etching acid. A resin can be flowed into the micro holes that the disease has made. This uses capillary action to draw the resin in the micro holes and then is set hard with a special dental light, effectively blocking them off and stopping the disease progressing.

Advantages

1. Spread of the disease can be stopped early
2. Healthy tooth is preserved
3. The area once treated looks like natural tooth enamel
4. The treatment does not require drilling or injections
5. It can be completed on one visit
6. It is cheaper than a filling

The worst that can occur with this new no drill therapy is that the tooth disease progresses and a filling is required after all, which, according to a regular treatment approach, would have already happened anyway. The greatest gain for you is that the disease does not continue and your tooth is preserved. I believe that this therapy provides possibilities for me to best meet your wishes, pain free treatment, less time in my chair and cure, reducing the need for future treatment.

This therapy is called Icon and has been developed by Charite in Berlin and the University of Kiel.

Are You sutable for this new therapy?

To check if you are suitable for this new therapy, contact Smile Style to arrange a 5 point dental health assessment.
Book online at
http://www.smilestyledentist.co.uk/no_drill/stafford_dentist_no_drill.html

OR

Email smile.style@btconnect.com

OR

Telephone Alison on 01785 225505 to schedule your 5 point Dental Health Assessment

We answer you calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Haiti New Patient Appeal

Here at Smile Style we have a direct connection with Haiti. One of our patients works for the United Nations and was there when the earthquake struck. Fortunately he was not injured and he is now part of the international emergency rescue team. We have heard from his wife that he is under an unimaginable stress, recovering crushed bodies and has seen some terrible sights.

As one of the ways we are helping we have set up an appeal for new patients. How does that work I hear you say. For every new patient we see in February we will be donating £5 to the Haiti Disater Fund.

By following this link you can download a Half Price Voucher saving £40 off New Patient Assessment. Haiti Appeal

Please make use of this voucher and we promise to donate £5 to the Haiti Disaster Fund. Print it off as many times as you want and invite friends and family to join Smile Style.

Thank you for your support

Richard

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