Author Archives: Smile Essential

Covid-19 UPDATE TO SERVICES

To our patients and Friends of Smile Essential Dental Practice. 

Our team have been working tirelessly to keep Smile Essential a clean and safe environment for you. 

As a Dental Practice, we work in an environment where the prevention of the spread of a whole range of infections is woven into everything we do. In addition to our usual scrupulous cross infection control measures, we have been paying particularly close attention to all government guidance and updates related more specifically to Coronavirus.  

Following consultation with countless colleagues, opinion leaders, governmental bodies, medical colleagues in the direct frontline of dealing with Covid-19 and numerous in-house staff meetings, it is with a heavy heart that we have made the immediate decision from Monday 23rd March 2020 to temporarily suspend all routine dental care and restrict care to severe dental emergencies only for the time being. 

Whilst sad, we believe this is unequivocally the best and only choice in the present circumstances. Our absolute priority has always been to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our patients and our staff. 

Our duty of care is not only to protect our patients and staff but also to minimise the spread of Covid-19 by enacting upon the social distancing measures as stressed by the government in recent days. 

As a team, we are doing everything we possibly can to remain fit, well and able to work so that we can continue our usual high standard of dental care for you when things return to normal. 

Our reception team will be here by telephone to answer any questions you may have or to help you in the case of a severe emergency. Please contact us on 0116 2891317 or email us on info@smileessential.co.uk.  If you have an appointment with us in our diary already in the upcoming days/weeks then one of our team members shall be giving you a call in the near future to reschedule it to a later date. 

Again to reiterate, we would like to reassure you that, as always we are here for you and shall continue to act to ensure the health and the safety of our patients and team. 

We shall, of course, keep you updated with any developments and when the time is right we look forward to welcoming you back to Smile Essential and bringing a smile back. 

Thank you for your support, and please be safe, take care of your loved ones and your communities. 

The Team at Smile Essential Dental Practice. 

 

 

Keeping up with your dental care at home…

Staying as healthy as possible has moved to the top of the list for all of us right now. Did you know that your oral health has a connection with your overall health?

But with more and more of us staying at home it can be easy to fall into bad habits and let regular routines slip. However, now could be the perfect time to refresh your routine! Here are our top tips for ensuring you maintain a healthy mouth.

• This is always on the top of the list for a reason! Ensure you’re cleaning twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. The fluoride in the toothpaste helps to repair and strengthen the teeth.

• Change your toothbrush every two to three months or sooner if the bristles are splayed or worn. Toothbrushes aren’t as effective when worn down, and they also harbour an increasing amount of bacteria. 

• Clean in between your teeth. Toothbrushing only cleans three of the five surfaces of your teeth. Your breath will never be fresh or your teeth clean if you don’t clean in between them. The other two tooth surfaces can be cleaned by either flossing or using interdental brushes. You’ll be surprised at just how much food and plaque you will find hidden there!

• Avoid getting into the bad habit of snacking! Snacking throughout the day means your teeth are under attack and you stand a good chance of developing tooth decay.

• Brushing your teeth last thing at night with fluoride toothpaste helps to protect them. During the night, your mouth becomes dry and is more susceptible to problems.

• Stick to drinking water or herbal teas between meals.

Still want to improve your oral health further! Then you’ll enjoy reading our 3 quick switches to improve your dental routine…

Everything you need to know about the tooth fairy!

We have an excellent relationship with the tooth fairy at Smile Essential. We work closely with the tooth fairy and families with children to ensure the tooth fairy gets a top-quality product – well looked after milk teeth so children can receive some money.

Here are some fun things for you to know!

  • The tooth fairy often pays more for a first tooth
  • The most common amount given to Leicester children is £2 for a first tooth and £1
  • The tooth fairy pays more if the milk tooth is healthy
  • Parents on the West side of Leicestershire pay more than those on the East side Leicestershire!
  • If you accidentally lose the tooth, you can leave a note detailing where the tooth was lost, and the tooth fairy might be able to locate it. If found, then the fairy will leave you some money.
  • You have 20 milk teeth, and they start to fall out around 5-6 years old.
  • 36% of parents admit that their children spend their money on sweets!

So how much should you pay?

  • First tooth £2 (a large gold coin)
  • All teeth after that £1 (a gold coin)
  • If teeth have tooth decay 50p

But remember this is just a guide, and if teeth are particularly healthy or unhealthy, then the tooth fairy may leave a different amount. Price also varies dependant on market supply and demand.

Did you know that keeping your child’s milk teeth could potentially save their life?

There was a story in the Leicester Mercury about using the stem cells from milk teeth to help treat a range of diseases. Stem cells are usually taken from bone marrow, but scientist discovered that milk teeth are also full of these useful little cells! Stem cells are cells that can develop into many different cell types. Researchers believe that stem cell-based therapies will one day be able to treat a range of destructive disorders. We certainly hope so. Maybe we’ll end up paying the tooth fairy for our teeth back!

Is your child registered at a Leicester dental practice? Take a look at our children’s dentistry…

Dental Plan Membership – a real saver!

People often prefer to have private dental care because of the flexibility with appointment times compared to the limited appointments available on the NHS and the greater variety of more cosmetic treatments, e.g. such as having tooth coloured fillings rather than metal ones. 

We wanted to help our patients to budget for their regular dental care and rewarding them for their commitment to better dental health. It was with this in mind that we created our patient-focused membership plan – Smile Plan.

For a low monthly payment of just £12.99, our dental patients in Leicester can expect to receive the following benefits:

  • 6 monthly dental health checks. This includes a mouth cancer screening, all necessary x rays and photographs.
  • 6 monthly hygiene appointments. These appointments with the dentist/hygienist include a thorough assessment of your gum health, fresh breath treatment, techniques to prevent gum disease, periodontal advice, and most of all, the thorough removal of built-up plaque that causes decay and polish that refreshes your smile
  • 15% discount on most dental work you may require – including most cosmetic treatments.
  • 12-month guarantee on all restorative work (provided due care has been taken).
  • Priority appointments for your convenience.
  • Same-day assessment of dental emergencies and dental pain.
  • Dispensing of most antibiotics.
  • Emergency call out.
  • Dental insurance for treatment needed anywhere in the world as a result of a dental emergency or accidental damage to your teeth.
  • Worldwide emergency callout.
  • Redundancy protection cover

Almost all of our patients have taken advantage of our dental plan membership called Smile Plan. Is it time you started to benefit from it too? Learn more…

7 ways to get ridiculously fresh breath for date night!

Let’s be honest no one likes kissing someone with breath that’s a bit shall we say – funky! And nothing ruins the moment like worrying your breath is bad! We have 7 ridiculously easy ways for you to not only have fresh breath to have fresh, tasty breath! Pucker up here we go!

1. Nothing get’s breath fresher than a good old brush with your favourite minty toothpaste! While simple, there really is no better way then given your teeth a good scrub! If your toothbrush is older than 8-12 weeks or frayed then replace with a new one.

2. Okay, this is gross but did you know bits of food and plaque can lay trapped between your teeth for days? Ewww! Even brushing can’t get in between those tight areas of the mouth. You need to use floss or interdental brushes. Not cleaning between your teeth is like only brushing half of your mouth. It will never feel truly fresh.

3. Take a look at your tongue – like really. Look in the mirror or take a tongue selfie. If your tongue is coated in gunge chances are your breath will be a bit pongy! FYI one study found that by brushing the tongue, volunteers reduced their perception of bad breath by a whopping 70%! You can clean the tongue ideally with a tongue scraper – available at chemists or of course amazon or in the meantime a good brush with a toothbrush.

4. Drink plenty of water. Natures finest will help to keep you and your mouth hydrated which really helps to keep breath fresh. Dryer mouths are a breeding ground for bacteria.

5. Get fruity! Apples are a great breath freshener as they not only smell good but the biting and chewing help to keep your mouth clean. It’s ridiculously good to taste of apples, strawberries maybe a little pineapple.

6. Mint? Lots of people have a lovely meal planned on date nights, so when it comes to finishing the meal, why not get some mint tea? It will help to rehydrate the mouth, wash away any dinner that’s stuck in your teeth and it’s fresh and subtle.

7. Watch what you put in your mouth! You know the culprits! Onions, garlic, smoking! These are all pretty hard smells to mask over so best to avoid!

If you still have bad breath? Then it’s worth scheduling an appointment with your dentist. Your teeth may require dental treatment…

7 Essential tips for brides who want to whiten their teeth…

We know planning for a wedding is pretty stressful stuff! Fun fact (not!) a study found that planning a wedding takes approx 528 hours! Well, we’re here with our ‘7 Essential tips for brides who want to whiten their teeth’ to help get to the point and save you some time!

1) Do you have enough time to whiten your teeth?

Teeth whitening can sometimes be done in one dental appointment. Often, known as power whitening, in-surgery or laser whitening. However, we believe the most effective teeth whitening is a combination of home and power/in-surgery tooth whitening. This gives more predictable results and results that can be maintained for longer.

Teeth whitening can take a few appointments and can take 3-4 weeks. It is also a good idea to finish whitening your teeth well before your wedding day. Teeth often go a little patchy in colour which settles after a few days, but that’s no good if your big day is the next day!

There can also be some transient sensitivity. This settles after completing the treatment, but as the wedding day looms, you don’t want any distractions.

2) Is your mouth healthy?

Professional teeth whitening can only be carried out on a healthy mouth. If it’s been a while since you last had a dental health check, then it’d be a good idea to get booked in. Not only do you want to be to feel fresh breath confident, but you also don’t want an unwanted dental problem to strike near your special day. 

It’s also good to be fresh breath confident when you have such a big occasion! You’ll be talking to lots of people and of course, don’t forget your first official kiss!

3) Do you have dental work in your smile line?

Most people don’t realise that teeth whitening doesn’t work on restorations. So if you have a filling, crown or veneer that’s visible when you smile and matches your current tooth shade then once you complete your teeth whitening it will be a different colour from the rest of your teeth! 

If this is the case, then you can either leave your teeth as they are or if the restoration needs replacing to do this after teeth whitening so it can be matched to your new tooth colour.

4) Think about your partner!

If you’re serious about getting your teeth whitened, then it might be worth having a sneaky peek at your other half! If you whiten your teeth and then end up the lightest shade and your partner is up there on the darker side, it might look quite noticeable on your wedding photographs. Probably worth asking him or doing the treatment with plenty of time spare so when he sees your results he’s still got enough time to come in!

teeth whitening guide leicester

5) What to do if you have left it too late

Speak to your dentist ASAP! Sometimes a good ole cleaning can bring them up a treat! We have a fantastic cleaning treatment called AirFlow stain removal you can check it out here!

6) Cost?

Professional teeth whitening is more expensive than over the counter methods. However, unlike over the counter whitening remedies, professional whitening gives unbeatable results, is safe and the results last and are easy to maintain. The cost of teeth whitening can be spread over a couple of appointments.

7) It’s always good to get personalised advice from a dental professional

Nowadays, we all Google research everything! But teeth are as unique as your fingerprint! So not surprisingly, advice varies from person to person. We often see people at the dentist want a particular treatment that is not suitable for them, or there’s a better way to help them achieve their goal. It’s always good to have an honest conversation with your dentist and let them discuss your options. 

Arrange your consultation by giving our friendly team a call 0116 2891317

Teeth Straightening Leicester

At Smile Essential in Leicester, we are seeing more dental patients that are requesting straighter teeth.

We all now spend a lot more time aware of our appearance. Some people believe this is due to the rise in smartphones with built-in cameras and social media profiles sharing photos. There has never been a time before in history that we have been so aware of the way we look.

A big motivator for people is not them wanting the perfect smile in a photo; it’s usually more about them being fed up that they are hiding their smile in pictures. On a deeper level, it stops them from freely expressing how they are feeling in a moment because they are concentrating on hiding their smile.

The teeth straightening we offer at our Leicester clinic is known as Anterior (Anterior means nearer the front) Alignment Orthodontics. It concentrates on moving the 10 teeth visible in your smile to a more desirable position, which means that you get to straighten the teeth that matter to you most. This type of orthodontic brace treatment usually takes between 4- 9 months, with an average treatment time of around six months.

There are also many long-term health benefits to straighten teeth. When your teeth are in a better alignment, they are much easier to take care of. If your teeth cross over one another, it is more likely that you will accumulate plaque in those tricky to reach places, and unfortunately, this makes you more susceptible to gum disease or tooth decay.

Brace treatment is not suitable for everyone, and you may require specialist treatment with an orthodontist, not a dentist. That’s why we offer FREE consultations to come in for a chat and an initial assessment. We currently offer complimentary teeth whitening to finish your new straighter smile perfectly.

Get in touch to arrange your free consultation…

Sugar Action Week

This week is Sugar Awareness Week. A campaign designed to help raise awareness of the damaging effect of having too much sugar in our diet. Most people now know that sugar isn’t just bad for your teeth, but it could also be damaging to your health. 

Tooth decay

Too much sugar can cause tooth decay, and this can be a particular problem for children. NHS figures show that there were more than 45,000 hospital operations to remove rotten teeth from teenagers and children in 2017/18. The severity of the tooth decay is leading to the drastic measure of teeth being extracted under general anaesthetic in hospital.

Diabetes

There are many causes and contributing factors that can cause type 2 diabetes. However, a high-sugar diet has been linked with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes. The link between sugar and obesity likely causes this.

Obesity

In 2016 in England, 40% of men and 30% of women were overweight, and 26% of adults were classified as obese.

Excessive unhealthy food and sugary soft drink consumption have been linked to weight gain. It provides a significant and unnecessary source of calories with little or no nutritional value.

Is all sugar bad for me?

It’s important to understand there are two main types of sugars to be aware of – naturally occurring sugars and free sugars. Naturally occurring sugars are found in whole fruits, vegetables and milk-based products, and these are not considered harmful for health. Free sugars are anything we add in ourselves or are added in during the manufacturing process. This includes honey, glucose, fructose etc. Free sugars can come in many forms. They also include obvious things such as cakes, sweets and biscuits.

Why are fruit juices and smoothies classed as bad for me?

Whole fruits can be a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. When you buy a shop-bought smoothie, it contains a significant amount of sugar and is often highly processed. A small homemade smoothie is a healthier juice if a smoothie is a must for you. 

When you juice a fruit, the natural sugars are released from within the cell walls of the fruit and become ‘free sugars’. 

How much sugar can I have a day?

  • Children age four and under: There’s no guideline limit for children under four, it is recommended they avoid sugary drinks and food with sugar added to it. 
  • Children aged five to six: shouldn’t have any more than five teaspoons that is 19 grams of free sugar a day.
  • Children aged seven to eleven: should have no more than six teaspoons (24 grams) of a sugar per day. 
  • Adults and children over eleven should limit their sugar to no more than seven teaspoons (28 grams) of sugar per day.

How can I cut down on my sugar?

A good place to start is watching what you drink. Many of the free sugars we consume now are through soft drinks. 

5 Things Our Dentists Want You To Know About Your Teeth And Christmas!

Fizzy drinks

There are the obvious suspects such as soft drinks such as coke and lemonade, but it also includes fizzy beverages such as Champagne, Prosecco and Bucksfizz.

It isn’t just the sugar you have to worry about with these drinks but the acidity. Every time you sip on this drink, the PH level in your mouth alters for around 20 minutes.

If drinking these drinks is a must for you, then you can minimise damage by trying to drink them at mealtimes, snack on cheese, also sipping water and not drinking it too frequently. Of course, you need to ensure you are cleaning your teeth thoroughly twice a day too.

Tip: wait at least an hour after eating and drinking anything before cleaning your teeth. With the acidity level in your mouth, the teeth’s enamel is much weaker and toothbrushing at these times can cause damage.

Nuts

Nuts are a healthy snack for you to consume. The danger comes when you have some heavily restored teeth or fillings that are in a more vulnerable position. Usually soft nuts such as cashews are fine, but harder nuts such as Brazil nuts can be too much for your teeth to handle!

Sticky sweets

Sticky sweets are the worse! It’s common for us to have patients over the festive period that have succumbed to toffee! Toffee is one of the toughest things to eat on your teeth. If you have any fillings or dental work, then this should be avoided altogether.

Sticky sweets also stick to your teeth Obvious we know but what this means is it gets into every nook and cranny and hangs around for a more extended period of time — wreaking damage on your teeth.

Using your teeth as a tool

We all know that we shouldn’t use our teeth to open bottles, but it’s one worth remembering because it still seems to happen an awful lot!

There are also things such as cracking nuts, undoing tags we hear all manner of ways that teeth are used as a tool. Make sure you have everything you need this Christmas and maybe some extra or spares left around.

Grazing

Food is such a big part of Christmas and probably most us eat a considerable amount of food! But many people are unaware that it is the frequency of consuming sugary or acidic foods that causes the most damage. After you eat your PH level is altered from twenty minutes up to an hour. If you graze, this means that you are not leaving anytime for your mouth to recover.

You can minimise the damage by reducing how much of the day you spend eating and drinking and also choosing better snacks for your teeth. Snacking on cheese, vegetables and sipping water is a great way to keep your mouth in better shape.

Whatever you’re eating this Christmas remember to keep on top of your oral health routine especially before bed.