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Something we routinely do at your check up appointments

Timeline Photos

Keeping that smile healthy

Hello again, We have noticed that some of our patients seem less than happy when asked to complete a medical history form. Why do dentists need a Medical Form? A The General Dental Council requires dentists to check a patient’s health condition regularly, and especially before any treatment is carried out. Q Why do I have to fill it in EVERY time? A Dentists are not only required to check a patient’s medical condition, we must be able to prove we have kept this information up to date and that the information is completed by the patient themselves, this is why a new form and a signature is required. Q Why can’t I just write “No Change”? A A lot of patients are only visiting the practice every 9- 12 months now for routine exams. A lot can happen in between exam appointments, things can change. A patient may think that they let us know about the changes last visit, when actually there is nothing recorded on your Medical Form. It would be irresponsible for your dentist to accept “No Change” as a satisfactory updated Medical Status. Our dentists make sure they have an in depth and up to date Medical history Form for each patient, to allow us to make an informed decision should any treatment be needed. Q Why do half of the questions even matter to my dentist?? A Although some of the questions may seem strange for your dentist to ask, all the questions on our Medical Form are relevant. for example : Have you ever had liver or kidney disease? If yes, some patients require lower doses of local anaesthetic. Patients can also be at increased risk of gingival hyperplasia. Do you suffer from Arthritis? This can affect a patient’s oral health and some medications for arthritis can affect treatment options. How many units of alcohol do you drink per week? Patients who smoke as well as drink alcohol are at increased risk of Oral Cancer. Periodontal (gum) problems are also more likely. Q Why is an in accurate list of medicines important? A Some medicines are especially relevant to your dentist and could affect treatment options. These include: Warfarin Aspirin These 3 medicines affect blood clotting Clopidogrel Bisphosphonates (bone medication) – I hope this helps you to understand the need for accurate and regular updating of your medical histories - something we all have to grin and bear !

This week we have posted some facts on teeth whitening. If you are interested feel free to call the surgery with any queries you may have. Our offer was a great success and so we are still offering surgery whitening (not laser) at £199.00 !!!

More and more people are paying for brighter, whiter teeth. But does teeth whitening work and is it safe? Here are the answers to common questions about the treatment. What is teeth whitening? Teeth whitening involves bleaching your teeth to make them lighter. Teeth whitening can't make your teeth brilliant white, but it can lighten the existing colour by several shades. Who can perform teeth whitening? Teeth whitening is a form of dentistry and should only be performed by a dentist or another regulated dental professional, such as a dental hygienist or dental therapist, on the prescription of a dentist. Some beauty salons offer teeth whitening, but this is illegal if there's no dental professional present, and it may put your oral health at risk. You can also buy DIY home teeth whitening kits but these may also carry risks. What happens during teeth whitening at the dentist? If you have teeth whitening you will need to make several visits to the dental surgery over a couple of months. The dentist will take an impression of your teeth to make a mouth guard and will instruct you how to use it with a bleaching gel. Then, using your mouth guard at home, you regularly apply the gel for a specified period of time over two to four weeks. Some whitening gels can be left on for up to eight hours at a time, which shortens the treatment period to one week. Another type of teeth whitening system that a dentist can provide is called laser whitening, which is also known as power whitening. This is where a bleaching product is painted onto your teeth and then a light or laser is shone on them to activate the whitening. Laser whitening takes about an hour. Can any dentist whiten teeth? Yes, provided they are registered with the General Dental Council. Registered dental therapists and dental hygienists can also carry out teeth whitening on the prescription of a dentist. To find out if a dental professional is registered with the GDC you can check online or call 0207 167 6000. What about home kits and beauty salons for teeth whitening? Only go to a registered dental professional for teeth whitening because whitening by people who aren't qualified, for example in beauty salons, is illegal. Home kits also carry risks. What are the risks of home kits and salon teeth whitening? Some home kits don't contain enough of the whitening product to be effective. More generally, if a dental professional is not doing the whitening, the mouth guard provided may not fit properly so some of the bleaching gel may leak out onto your gums and into your mouth, causing blistering and sensitivity. Where teeth whitening is carried out in beauty salons by staff without any training or dental qualifications it not only carries a risk to your oral health, but is also illegal. Tooth whitening is classed as a cosmetic treatment and prices may vary from practice to practice. How do you go about getting teeth whitening? Your dentist will advise you whether whitening is right for you. It may be that teeth whitening isn't suitable, for example if you have gum disease or crowns. . What questions should I ask the dentist before going ahead? Don't be afraid to ask simple questions about the types of whitening treatment available, what results you can expect and whether the work is guaranteed for a certain amount of time. Also, ask them what they consider to be the risks in your particular case, for example increasing sensitivity of the teeth. Always ask for a written treatment plan and price estimate before going ahead. Is teeth whitening permanent? No, teeth whitening isn't permanent. It can last from a few months to up to three years, but this varies from person to person. Generally, the whitening effect won't last as long if you smoke or drink red wine, tea or coffee, which can all stain your teeth. Will teeth whitening work on false teeth? No. Teeth whitening won't work on dentures, crowns, fillings or veneers.

Brushing Your Babys' Teeth You can start brushing your baby's teeth as soon as they start to come through. Use a baby toothbrush with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste. Don't worry if you don't manage to brush much at first. The important thing is to get your baby used to brushing their teeth as part of their daily routine. You can help by setting a good example and letting them see you brushing your own teeth. Tooth brushing tips for babies • Use a tiny smear of toothpaste for babies and toddlers up to three years old, and a pea-sized amount for children aged three to six years. • Gradually start brushing your child's teeth more thoroughly, covering all the surfaces of the teeth. Do it at least twice a day: just before bed and at another time that fits in with your routine. • Not all children like having their teeth brushed, so you may have to keep trying. Make it into a game, or brush your own teeth at the same time and then help your child finish their own. • The easiest way to brush a baby's teeth is to sit them on your knee, with their head resting against your chest. With an older child, stand behind them and tilt their head backwards. • Brush the teeth in small circles, covering all the surfaces, and encourage your child to spit the toothpaste out afterwards. There's no need to rinse with water, as this will wash away the fluoride. • Supervise brushing to make sure your child gets the right amount of toothpaste and they are not eating or licking toothpaste from the tube. • Carry on helping your child brush their teeth until you're sure they can do it well enough themselves. This will normally be until the age of seven.

Happy New year to all of our patients and families . Hope you all enjoyed the Christmas break and avoided the unpleasant winter bugs that affected so many. Here at Broad Lane we look forward to another busy year of maintaining your dental health. It's is so important to us that we relay the best and up to the minute dental education for you all. Prevention and education is key, particularly with our children's health. Children's dental health improvements? Headlines about children's dental health have made for depressing reading in recent years, last year more than 33,000 children had to be admitted to hospital to have teeth removed under general anaesthetic. What is heart-breaking is that almost every single case is entirely preventable with the right education and preventive measures put into place. In 2017 we hope to see the various child dental health programmes which have been introduced in the UK in recent years finally make an impact on levels of tooth decay up and down the country. We look forward to seeing you at your next check up !

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Interested ??? Ask your dentist for details

Looking after our oral health on the go can sometimes be difficult, indulging in that caramel latte on the way to work, rushing lunch before a meeting or a chocolatey mid-afternoon snack to get you through to dinner time all has an impact on our teeth. Yes we all may brush our teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, but between the first and last brush our teeth can come under a constant attack if we don't not give them time to recover. Our teeth are at risk of acid attack after we eat and drink anything, especially if what we consume has sugar in it. This acid is produced by plaque bacteria, and the sugars in our food and drink, which slowly dissolves the enamel and dentine of the tooth leading to cavities forming. But new evidence has shown that incorporating sugar-free gum into our on the go lifestyles can benefit our oral health. Although not a replacement for brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, chewing after eating or drinking can help our teeth recover quicker and keep our mouths healthy. Sugar-free gum as part of your oral health routine The process of chewing sugar-free gum helps the mouth to produce more saliva - the mouth's natural defence against acid; it usually takes our saliva about an hour to replace the minerals that the enamel has lost after eating. But chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating or drinking increases the flow of saliva, and helps replace the minerals more quickly. Chewing sugar-free gum after eating can quickly lower the amount of time that acid attacks the teeth. We recommend that, while brushing for two minutes twice a day is still the best way to keep teeth clean and healthy, chewing sugar-free gum during the day can be effective in neutralising harmful plaque acids and reducing the risk of decay.. Tooth decay is preventable but treating it can be a huge burden on the NHS and family finances, as well as on self-esteem, confidence and ultimately our overall physical and mental health.

Timeline Photos

Timeline Photos

Do you need a scale and polish ? Call the surgery to discuss an appointment and fees with our Hygienist.

Shergill Dental Implants

Please ask your dentist if you are interested in Implant work. We refer to our sister practice across town.