Monthly Archives: May 2014

Stop Smoking With Smile Essential Dentist

As a dental practice you may be surprised to hear that we can now offer you help in stopping smoking. With more people every year getting help to stub out, we are pleased to now be able to refer you to a local stop smoking service.

We all know that smoking is bad for your health and wealth but we recently had some smoking cessation training at the dentist and were surprised to learn a few new things.

‘Smoking thickens your blood and makes it much harder to carry oxygen’

‘Smoking increases the build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth’

‘Every year after the age of 30 that you smoke you take 3 months off of your life’

If you would like help on stopping smoking please discuss it at your next dental health check. Or to find out more please visit- http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree.

National Smile Month

National Smile Month is the UK’s one of the largest oral health campaigns. Together, with other dentists, thousands of individuals, organisations and hopefully our patients too. We will be able to promote 3 key messages, all of which go a long way in helping us develop and maintain a healthy mouth:

Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks
Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

It is particularly important for the people of Leicester to promote this message for the the children in the county. According to an NHS report, over 50% of children in Leicester have dental decay compared to the national average of 27%. A shocking statistic, I’m sure you’ll agree.

During National Smile Month we have been approached by the Leicester City Council to hold a toothbrush amnesty, because of the shocking figures here in Leicester. All children under the age of 6 qualify and they don’t need to be a patient at Smile Essential. Simply bring in their old tooth brush, complete a short survey and we will exchange for a new toothbrush and toothpaste.

Is the Dentist Your Biggest Fear?

The dentist is my biggest fear; I have had such horrible experiences with other dentists. I just didn’t want to come at all.

After being recommended to Smile Essential, I managed to pluck up the courage to go. I can finally say that I have some confidence in a dentist. I was made to feel relaxed and calm on all appointments by Lina and all the staff including the receptionists. They used lots of techniques to make me more at ease and I felt they really cared.

I cannot recommend Smile Essential enough. I’m finally starting to feel comfortable about going to the dentist.

Miss J.W, Leicester

If you’re ready to take the next step in overcoming your dental fear then why not get in touch with our friendly, award winning team-

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What is a Dental Crown?

Porcelain crowns are a very successful option for repairing cracked, broken, decayed or heavily filled teeth. Smile Essential dentist in Leicester offer a range of crowns including metal free crowns.

A crown completely covers the damaged tooth above the gum line and so protects it. The colour is matched to that of your own teeth and, as crowns are very strong, they can look and feel exactly like natural teeth.

A crown is an artificial restoration that fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth.

Sometimes known as a ‘cap’. Crowns are an ideal restoration for teeth that have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. Your dentist can best decide on whether a crown would be suitable for you.

A crown could be used for a number of other reasons, for instance:

you may have discoloured fillings and would like to improve the appearance of the tooth
you may have had a root filling which will need a crown to protect it
it may help hold a bridge or denture firmly in place.

For further help, advice or information get in touch

So the Secret’s Out…

dentists in leicester

Sugar it’s everywhere at the minute and we aren’t just talking about the sprinkle on your breakfast cereal this morning or the hidden sugar in your salad dressing for lunch; no we are talking about the newspapers, social media, concerned parents’, the health conscious and the medical profession. It’s all everyone is talking about, long gone are the days where it was just your teeth’s nemesis.

Sugar is the hot health topic of the moment, there have been various health concerns around consuming too much sugar for years. Some are obvious like tooth decay and diabetes. But what about the growing evidence that sugar is a secret contributor to-

the obesity epidemic
heart disease
fatty liver disease
bad mood swings

There is now also suspicion that it can cause cancer, can suppress the immune system for 5 hours after consuming, could cause depression and it has been linked to increased candida albican bacteria, which can cause all manner of problems.

Sugar, how much is too much?

This is difficult to say but the recommendation is that you should only account for around 10% of your daily calories towards your sugar allowance. Looking over a few different articles and medical publications show that ideally 6-12 teaspoons daily. At the moment it is reported that on average a person currently consumes 22 teaspoons daily with some reports stating the average is up to 42 teaspoons daily!

Do you consider yourself to be living a healthy lifestyle?

The danger with our modern lifestyle is that even those that consider themselves health conscious are subjected not just to hidden sugars but there has been a general increase in sugar being bred into our fruit’s. Fruit’s sugar content has risen by up to 50 per cent over the last decade. New breeds of apple arriving on the shelves of British supermarkets which have been cross-bred to give a sweeter taste, mean that an apple can now contain around 4 teaspoons of sugar.

Here’s a list we found in a recent news article on added sugar in some everyday foods-

Innocent Pure Fruit Smoothie Strawberries & Bananas (250ml): 7tsp
Sharwood’s Sweet & Sour Chicken With Rice (375g): 6tsp
Innocent Caribbean Veg Pot (380g): 6tsp
Tesco Finest Moroccan Couscous (132g): 5tsp
YeoValley Farm 0% Fat Vanilla Yoghurt (150g): 5tsp
Sainsbury’s Chicken Tikka With Rice (500g): 5tsp
Tesco Rack Of Ribs (158g): 4tsp
Ski Smooth Strawberry & Raspberry Yogurt (120g): 4tsp
Lloyd Grossman’s Tikka Masala Curry Sauce (175g): 4tsp
Asda Hunters Chicken (190g): 4tsp
Glaceau Vitamin Water, Defence (500ml): 4tsp
Heinz Classic Tomato Soup (300g): 4tsp
Blue Dragon Hoi Sin & Garlic Sauce (60g): 4tsp
Ragu Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce (200g): 3tsp
Sainsbury’s Classic Beef Stew (400g): 3tsp
Burger King Steakhouse Burger: 3tsp
Tesco Spaghetti And Meatballs (450g): 3tsp
Tesco Ken Hom’s Aromatic Duck And Pancakes (115g): 3tsp
Prince’s Pineapple Chunks (100g): 3tsp
Branston’s Baked Beans (205g): 3tsp
Kellogg’s Special K (30g): 3tsp
Burger King Whopper: 3tsp
Sainsbury’s Be Good To Yourself Spinach And Ricotta Cannelloni (400g): 3tsp
Subway Meatball Marina Sub (300g): 3tsp
Muller Vitality Multifruit Low Fat Yogurt Drink (100g): 3tsp
Weight Watchers Sausages In Gravy (400g): 3tsp
Sainsbury’s Be Good To Yourself Chilli Con Carne (400g): 2tsp
Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Crunchy Oat Granola Cinnamon Bars (40g): 2tsp
Tesco Beef Lasagne (450g): 2tsp
All Bran Breakfast Biscuits (40g): 2tsp
Pret A Manger Deluxe Sushi (232g): 2tsp
Batchelors Tomato Cup A Soup (250g): 2tsp
New Covent Garden Skinny Goan Spiced Chicken and Lentil Soup (300g): 2tsp
Pret A Manger Teriyaki Salmon Salad (238g): 2tsp
Asda Chosen by Kids Chicken & Gravy Pie (300g): 2tsp
Dolmio Extra Spicy Bolognese Sauce (125g): 2tsp
Heinz Spaghetti Hoops (200g): 2tsp
Asda Chicken And Prawn Paella (400g): 2tsp
McDonald’s Big Mac 2tsp
Pot Noodle Curry King Pot (114g): 2tsp
Shredded Wheat (45g): 1.5tsp
McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish: 1.5tsp
Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Coleslaw (100g): 1.5tsp
Pret A Manger Beech Smoked BLT Sandwich (229g): 1.5tsp
Tesco Finest Macaroni Cheese (400g): 1.5tsp
McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad: 1.5tsp
Fray Bentos Meatballs In Tomato Sauce (190g): 1tsp
Heinz Tomato Ketchup (15ml): 1tsp
Heinz Salad Cream (15ml): 0.7tsp

See how easy it could be to go over the daily guidelines.

Why do the manufacturers add all of this sugar?

Sugar contains no nutritional value but generally people prefer a sweeter taste. So it’s thought that if the product tastes sweeter then the consumer is more likely to like and choose that particular product. There is also the school of thought that sugar is addictive especially when different forms of sugar are mixed together, but this hasn’t been proved as yet.

What now?

The simplest thing we can do to take action on reducing the amount of sugar we consume is easy- read the label. Try to avoid any items that are over 10% of your RDA. When possible look at making your meal’s from scratch i.e. making a bolognese sauce from fresh tomatoes, herbs and spices and not just buying a jar of sauce. Avoid the obvious culprits such as sugary breakfast cereals, fruit juices, chocolate, cookies and doughnuts.

Keep a look out for the various names sugar can come under and avoid them-

Brown sugar
Cane crystals
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup
Crystalline fructose
Dextrose
Fructose
Glucose
High-fructose corn syrup
Invert sugar
Lactose
Maltose
Maltodextrin
Malt syrup
Molasses
Sucrose
Sugar
Syrup

If sugar must be used then instead try and opt for a sweetner such as xylitol or stevia.

There are numerous books on cutting down/quitting sugar aswell as a nunber of resources on line including NHS change for life website-

So look at reducing the amount sugar you consume if you want to be healthier and keep a look out for future blogs as we have more articles coming up related to sugar, sugar and your health and alternative snacks to sugary ones.

We also have a popular section on pinterest for healthier recipes and alternatives

Why do Teeth Stain and How the Experts Prevent it.

There are a number of reasons that teeth stain. Foods, beverages, and medications may discolor teeth. Smoking or forgetting to brush and floss on a regular basis may also lead to staining. Stained teeth can be caused by drinking cola, coffee, and tea; consuming other stain-producing foods such as betel nuts, blueberries, or red wine; or using tobacco. These stains are called surface stains.

Expert Tips from your dentist to stop staining your teeth-

• Limit the amount of coffee and tea in your daily diet.

• Avoid smoking.

• Make regular visits to your dentist for professional cleanings.

• Brush and floss regularly and properly. Some toothpastes have compounds that can help remove minor stains for a whitening effect.

In other cases, discoloration may be the result of genetics or disease. In most cases it is gradual staining that has taken place over time and has become ingrained staining called intrinsic staining. In these cases dental tooth whitening can work exceptionally well at lifting the deeper tooth stains to brighten the colour of your teeth.

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