Widely advertised online, a clip on temporary smile might seem like a good idea but are they all they seem?
One of the most natural things in the world is to want to have a great looking smile. Far fewer of us now accept discoloured or missing teeth as we become older, and cosmetic dentistry is far better known and more affordable than it once was.
Increasingly, we are seeing a number of new companies being set up which offer products without ever seeing the patient. Treatments such as orthodontics are now being offered online, with photographs and self taken impressions being used to create the new braces. We have covered before why it may not be a good idea to use these rather than a dental clinic but today we want to take a look at another popular product that is more widely available and that is the snap on smile, or teeth.
Produced from impressions and photographs, a clip on smile is usually made from cost effective materials such as a resin polymer and is designed to clip directly over your natural teeth. They are usually quite affordable and can offer an improved smile without too much fuss. Undoubtedly, they seem like a good idea and we can see why some of our Burton and Ashby patients might find them appealing, but we believe that their uses are far more limited than the porcelain veneers that we offer at Alexandra Dental Care.
First … the pluses
Prices vary and a quick Google search finds these ranging from £25 (yes really!) to £450. We presume the £25 ones are for fun purposes only and we certainly wouldn’t recommend those for any practical use. At the higher end though, you probably get a reasonable quality that can improve your appearance. The benefits though, arguably end there.
The negatives
If soft drinks get cheaper, will some of us be tempted to treat ourselves more often?
Although, at the time of writing this blog, it has yet to be confirmed, it does appear likely that the ‘sugar tax’ is due to be reversed by this new prime minister. This is already causing some criticism from medical quarters but the argument seems to be that people should have a choice about what they eat and drink, despite the fact that this will inevitably have a knock on effect at doctors surgeries and hospitals all over the country. Dental practices too will almost certainly see a gradual increase in people seeking treatment as they are no longer deterred from helping themselves to more sweets and chocolates and manufacturers feel free to add more sugar to their products.
Of course, as individuals, we do have a choice whether to buy these products or not and hopefully, many of our Burton and Ashby patients will have got into the habit of cutting down on their sugar consumption. Whatever your political views though, there can be little doubt that an increase in sugar consumption can only be a bad thing for the medical and dental professions.
A reminder about why sugar is bad for your teeth
The fact is that our mouths are full of bacteria. Indeed, our mouths contain around six billion (yes, billion) bacteria of around 700 types. Many of these are good bacteria and help to break down our food before we swallow it, helping us to digest our food better. It has been shown however, that when some of these bacteria come into contact with sugars, they create acids, and the more sugar that you consume, the more acidity there will be. This acid is very harmful to the enamel on our teeth and will start to wear it away. The enamel on our teeth protects the more vulnerable inner part and once it has become compromised, problems like tooth decay and root canal infections are more likely.
What can you do?
Some interesting facts about one of the most popular treatments at Alexandra Dental Care
An increasing number of people these days, are looking to have whiter teeth. Whilst this may have once been little but a dream, the wide accessibility and affordability of a teeth whitening procedure means that it is now well within the range of a lot of people. This is reflected in the number of people booking appointments for it at our Burton and Ashby dental clinic.
Although there is now a wider understanding of what the treatment entails, there are still probably a lot of people who are unaware of certain aspects of teeth whitening, both with regards to the treatment, and in a broader sense. In today’s blog, we are going to take a look at a few of these.
It is a repeatable treatment
We occasionally hear that some people have been put off having their teeth whitened because they believe there is little point in spending money when the effects of the treatment will wear off. Although this is true, the whiteness can last for a long time and the treatment can be repeated safely as often as you want, enabling you to maintain the teeth whiteness for as long as you wish.
Whitening toothpastes are generally ineffective
If you have been putting your hopes on whitening your teeth through commercial teeth whitening toothpastes, you are probably going to be dissapointed. These toothpastes contain only a small fraction of the whitening ingredient that dentists are allowed to use. You should expect to notice very little improvement if you use this method.
Only dentists can perform this treatment
Repairing or replacing a damaged tooth doesn’t mean that your smile should suffer
When sharks lose a tooth, another one simply comes through. Unfortunately for us mere humans, this doesn’t happen once our childhood teeth have been replaced. Instead, any tooth loss or damage means that dental care is required. Often, in the past, this has meant a degree of restoration which enables our teeth to more or less function as we need them too, but often at the expense of a nice looking smile.
Thankfully, at Alexandra Dental Care, we are able to make use of the many advantages of modern aesthetic dentistry, and the loss of a tooth or significant damage to a tooth no longer means that our Burton and Ashby patients have to settle for ‘second best’. Innovations in dentistry over the years means that we are able to offer treatments that not only restore function, but look great too.
Fillings
This is a treatment that most of you will probably be familiar with. Few of us have lived such a ‘perfect’ lifestyle that we have not consumed sugar or skipped brushing when we were younger, often leading to some tooth decay and a cavity that needed filling. In the past, this would traditionally have been done using amalgam filling. This dark material, made from a combination of metals, is certainly excellent as far as its strength is concerned. Unfortunately though, it is a very dark colour and is highly visible. Even when used on rear teeth it can be seen when we laugh or yawn.
As an alternative to amalgam fillings, we are able to offer white dental fillings for our patients. These are made from a resin based material that can be adjusted to match the colour of the natural tooth. Not only are they more aesthetically pleasing but are also chemically bonded to the tooth once it has been prepared and often require less natural tooth to be removed before placing the filling.
We can also remove amalgam fillings and replace them with white fillings for those who wish to do so.
Broken or damaged teeth
Five ways that you can achieve a brighter, more confident smile….
Watching the news, it may seem that we have very little to smile about at the moment. Inflation, drought and an upcoming hike in energy prices are enough to make us want to frown rather than smile. It has often been shown though that smiling is good for us and may release endorphins which can lift our mood. Smiling is also a signal to others about our personality and generally speaking, most people are attracted to those who have a nice smile. Whether in a dating situation or meeting new friends or work colleagues, you are more likely to make a positive impact if you smile.
Given the above, it makes sense then, to have the nicest smile possible. This might mean needing significant cosmetic dental treatment, such as orthodontics, for some people, but most will instantly benefit from having whiter teeth. This doesn’t have to be the ‘brilliant’ white teeth that we often see with younger celebrities, but improving the whiteness by several shades can make a huge difference.
There are a number of things that you can do to have whiter teeth and the team at our Burton and Ashby dental practice offer some sage advice below:
1 – Generally look after your teeth. Making sure that you clean your teeth well will help you to avoid decay and will also help to remove some of the surface staining on your teeth. Having healthy teeth is the bedrock of a great looking smile. Remember too to maintain your regular appointments at Alexandra Dental Care to help keep both your teeth and gums in good condition.
Having straighter teeth means more than just a more attractive smile. Your mouth can be healthier too….
Most of you hopefully follow a good oral health regime, with regular brushing, flossing and appointments with both the dentist and hygienist at our Swadlincote dental practice. You may even think that there is little else that can be done to improve the way that you look after your teeth?
If you are doing the above, then you are going a long way to the best oral health possible; but there is one other factor that can act as a bit of a barrier to maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
However well you brush and floss your teeth, the chances are that you have some teeth that are difficult to keep clean, especially in the gaps between them. Teeth that are pressed closely together or that overlap, can be notoriously difficult to keep clean, even when using dental floss. There is little doubt that straighter teeth are easier to maintain than crooked and uneven ones.
Not just cosmetic dentistry
Whilst it is true that most people who have orthodontic treatment at Alexandra Dental Care do so for aesthetic reasons, usually wishing to have a more attractive smile, this is not the only benefit. As we have said earlier, straight teeth are easier to brush and floss than crooked teeth and through the use of one particular orthodontic system, you can also maintain good oral health more easily throughout the duration of the treatment.
Although the end outcome of having even teeth is beneficial, patients that have traditionally used regular braces to achieve this sometimes find that problems can occur during the treatment process itself. Traditional braces use a combination of wires and braces that gradually correct the position of the teeth and unfortunately it is quite common for food to become trapped in the mechanism. However hard you might try to remove this and clean the area, there is a strong possibility that a tiny amount will remain trapped between the wire or bracket and the tooth. Over time, this will attract bacteria that damages the enamel of the tooth and can result in tooth decay.
Invisalign
How to get your kids off to a good start in looking after their teeth
It is a well known fact that much of what we learn during our lives, we learn from a very young age. Things like how to walk, communicate and socialise with others becomes automatic without any real awareness and certainly not by reading books etc. Much of this comes from our parents, carers and those around us. This can also be beneficial for their oral health as they will pick up habits from their parents who also have a role in educating them and getting them off to a good start in life.
So, what can parents from the Burton and Ashby areas do to help their children have healthy teeth and gums as they grow up and develop good habits that they can take into their adult years?
Babies
Although you won’t need to brush their teeth for them for a while as they won’t have come through yet, it is a good idea to wipe baby gums gently with a damp cloth. This will help to remove any bacterial growth on the gums but will also accustom them to the sensation of cleaning around this area. This should start at around 3 months old or as advised by your care professional.
When they reach their first birthday, we recommend that you start to bring them for regular checks at Alexandra Dental Care. While it is unlikely that there will be any need for treatment so early on in life, these visits can help to acclimatise them to the sights, sounds and smells of the dental environment. Some studies have indicated that doing this helps to allay fears of visiting the dentist as they become older.
Young children
Amalgam fillings are gradually being phased out. What other types of tooth restoration are available?
For a long time, the traditional dental filling has been made from amalgam. This is a combination of metals that include tin, silver, zinc and most controversially, mercury. It is this last ingredient that has been the cause for concern for an increasing number of patients over the years. Although amalgam has raised other issues such as picking up radio transmissions as suggested by actress Lucille Ball who claimed to have picked up Japanese radio transmissions during WWII. Tests have been done to try to replicate this but to no avail, so patients clearly shouldn’t worry about that!
A more legitimate concern is that the fillings contain mercury compounds and mercury is a toxin that can be poisonous. Understandably, some patients are worried about this and some claim to be more sensitive to it than others. Research has been done though and the BDA (British Dental Association) has concluded that there is no significant risk to the patient from its use. Mercury use is, though, gradually being phased out, largely in an attempt to reduce the quantity that finds its way into the environment and especially the water supply. You can read more about the BDA’s stance on this at https://bda.org/amalgam .
What fillings?
As amalgam has been the most common filling material used, there will obviously need to be alternatives if they are phased out. At Alexandra Dental Care, we have been offering alternative options for some time now, and many people have used these, probably largely because they are also more aesthetic, offering a more natural appearance than the darker coloured amalgam fillings.
Let us take a look then, at available alternative methods of restoring a tooth, where amalgam fillings would traditionally be used. Thankfully, there is a good selection available for our Ashby and Burton patients.
White fillings
Finances might be getting tighter, but please don’t deprioritise your teeth and gum health
It is impossible to avoid stories about the poor state of the economy at the moment and things seem likely to get worse before they get better. The increase in the cost of fuel will also add to people’s fears that a recession might be looming. Whatever the situation, there is little doubt that a lot of people will be looking to cut back on their expenditure over the next year or so.
Some things can be cut back on with reasonable ease. Cheaper holidays can be found and some investments, such as a new kitchen, can often be delayed in some cases. One area that we urge you not to cut back on though is your oral health.
Teeth and gum maintenance
The reality is that everyday home oral health care is actually pretty cheap. Aside from replacing toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss, there is really no major cost associated with looking after your teeth and gums. This daily maintenance is both essential and affordable and there is really no excuse to neglect it.
Where people are looking to cut back spending, they might be tempted not to see the dentist, and especially the hygienist as often as before, perhaps going yearly instead, or even not at all. This would be a huge mistake and could well result in potentially serious oral health issues if problems are not dealt with early on. At Alexandra Dental Care, we are firm believers in preventative oral health care and regular dentist and hygienist visits play an important part in that.
Minor dental issues
Why ‘modern man’ is turning to treatments like teeth whitening to improve their appearance
Even 50 years ago, the archetypal man would probably be, as poets might say, ‘rough hewn’. Men were supposed to be tough and not overly concerned about their appearance. If lines appeared on their face, they wouldn’t dream of using moisturising cream, and similarly, if their teeth became yellow (often through smoking) they would simply stay that way.
Things have certainly changed for the better, and even though many men may not want to go all the way for a full ‘Love Island’ look, there is little doubt that men are much more concerned about their image than they used to be. Some of this might have started with the early ‘mens mags’, with tips on grooming etc, but there is little doubt that the internet has moved things on rapidly, especially for those who use dating sites, hoping to find love and romance where a picture, as they say, paints a thousand words.
Given the wider acceptability of cosmetic dentistry for men, it is hardly surprising then that we have noticed a growing number of men booking appointments at our Swadlincote dental practice. Whilst fewer men might use our facial aesthetics service than women, for now anyway; our cosmetic dental treatments are becoming ever more popular.
What then, are the most popular treatments that our male patients from Burton, Ashby and surrounding areas, likely to choose?
Whiter teeth
It isn’t just on programmes like Love Island that you are likely to notice that people have whiter teeth. Even news readers and presenters are likely to have undergone cosmetic treatment to make their teeth more attractive. Better quality and larger TV screens make any faults with their teeth more obvious and it has probably become more widely expected that those fronting the news should have a reasonably attractive smile. Given their growing acceptability, male patients of Alexandra Dental Care tend to take advantage of one of the following teeth whitening treatments.
Teeth whitening – This is usually the first step for most people looking to have a whiter smile. It is a non-invasive treatment that produces fast results, with the effects lasting for a long time. The treatment can be repeated as often as required with no harm being done to the teeth. Some men prefer to wait until they notice that the results are starting to fade before repeating the treatment, whereas others may book regular appointments to keep the degree of whiteness at a regular consistency. Your choice will probably depend on your reason for wanting whiter teeth and we are happy to offer advice.
Dental Veneers – Although less people smoke than in the past, there are still a significant number who have smoked but now managed to quit. They may be left with the legacy of having stained or yellow looking teeth. Smoking isn’t the only way that this can happen, although it is one of the most common, Some food and drinks can stain teeth too. Although a teeth whitening procedure may be helpful; if the teeth are quite badly stained, porcelain dental veneers may provide a more durable and effective solution. This treatment does require some invasive work being done to the teeth but provides the patient with a great looking smile that can last for ten years or more if well looked after.
