Because of xylitol’s unusual chemical structure it reduces bacterial acid fermentation, which helps to prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth. Chewing gum or sweets which contain xylitol can actively help to prevent the development of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease in both children and adults. Further research is needed, but it seems likely that xylitol will become a vital tool in your personal war against dental plaque!

Looking beyond your teeth, researchers are rapidly discovering other medical uses for xylitol. With a low glycemic index (GI), it creates a much smaller increase in serum insulin and blood glucose levels with no risk of hypoglycaemic rebound for diabetics. There is also fresh evidence proving xylitol can be effective in inhibiting other bacteria in the body, including a recent study in Finland which used xylitol to reduce the frequency of ear infections in test subjects.

As scientists discover more ways that xylitol can benefit our health we’re likely to find it being put to good use in an increasing number of different products.

Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute in America, found an abnormally large number of fusobacterium – a bacterium associated with the development of periodontal gum disease – in nine colorectal tissue samples.

Bowel cancer, which is also known as colon cancer, is one of the top three deadliest cancers in the UK. On average 35,000 people are diagnosed  with bowel cancer every year and almost half of them will die. Matthew Myerson, lead author of the study, believes more research is required to discover the true extent of the link, the research clearly suggests that fusobacterium could be a factor in the development of cancer.

He said, “At this point we don’t know what the connection between fusobacterium and colon cancer might be. It may be that the bacterium is essential for cancer growth; or that the cancer simply provides a hospitable environment for the bacterium to thrive.”

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, added, “This research, although at an early stage, is more evidence of the systematic links between oral and overall health. The majority of people suffers with gum disease at some stage in their lives, which could potentially endanger thousands of people if they continue to neglect their oral health.”

Sooner or later we’re going to all be reminded of the need to save water. But let’s not wait for our local council to prod us into being a little bit greener.

Most of us turn on a tap and clean, plentiful water appears. Lovely. Now please turn off that tap!

We calculated that if you follow the advice our dentists and hygienists give and clean your teeth for two minutes, twice a day over the course of one whole year you will spend more than 24 hours cleaning your teeth. More than an entire day! Now, imagine if you left the tap running every time you cleaned your teeth for two minutes – over the course of a year it would be equivalent to leaving the tap running for a whole day, or wasting more than 13,000 litres of water.

The current population of the UK is 62,218,761 – if everyone forgot and left that tap running whilst they were cleaning their teeth we’d waste more than 2 billion litres of water every day!!!

I could go on to tell you about the time, energy and effort expended making our water clean and pure (just so we can watch it pour away as we’re cleaning our teeth), but instead I’m going to share some top tips to help you save water – please feel free to share them with friends, family, schoolmates… anyone!

1. Take a short shower and avoid baths, four minutes should be sufficient to get even the muckiest pups clean!

2. Don’t overfill the kettle when you make a cup of tea, water will be wasted due to evaporation along with the extra energy needed to heat more water.

3. Don’t automatically throw used water down the drain – I use the water my vegetables are boiled in to make gravy (in the hope my son is therefore eating them by osmosis).

The Katse Dam near Lesotho holds two billion litres of water).

4. If you don’t like that idea you can keep the cooking water, allow it to cool and then use it to water any plants you have (BTW house plants love cold tea from your teapot!).

5. Finally ask your local water company for a hippo – this simple device fits in the toilet cistern and reduces water wastage by up to three litres of water used each time you flush!

Smiling is infectious. Before you start brightening everyone’s day with your beautiful smile we’ve got ten top tips that can boost your smile power!

1.    Make prevention your priority. With the latest cosmetic dentistry nearly everyone can have a wonderful smile, but we still believe it’s vitally important to make prevention a priority too! Developing great home-care hygiene routines and booking regular check-ups with your dentist will really help ensure that your natural teeth are as healthy as possible,
2.    Pamper your teeth. Stop and think about the money you spend on your hair, skincare and clothes, we believe it’s just as important to invest the same amount of money in ensuring your teeth are healthy and look wonderful too. Professional tooth whitening is a quick and effective way of brightening your smile.
3.    Don’t be scared of your dentist. If you are at all concerned or nervous about visiting the dentist, please tell us, we can help! You can mind more information on our website.
4.    Make a plan, and then talk to your dentist about a budget. If you have a goal for your smile talk to us and we can help you plan out the treatment and create a budget to spread the cost.
5.    Become a tooth expert. The more you know about your own teeth and gums the greater your chances of protecting your oral health and maintaining that dazzling smile! We’ve got some great resources on our web site and our dentists and hygienists are always happy to answer any questions you have!
6.    Brush regularly. Nearly half of all adults in the UK admit to regularly skipping brushing their teeth – especially at bedtime! All you need to remember is to brush TWICE a day for TWO minutes using FLUORIDE toothpaste! For more advice check out the hygiene page on our website.
7.    Stop smoking. Alongside all the other major health risks smoking has been proven to increase your chances of developing mouth cancer and cause bad breath and tooth staining. If you need some support speak to your GP or your dentist or visit this website.
8.    Take pride in your smile. Everyone’s teeth are different, but with the right care and prevention we believe your natural smile can last you a lifetime!
9.    Eat for your teeth.  Many people obsess with diets and how they look, but what and when you eat can have a huge affect on the health of your teeth too! Try to avoid sugary snacks and drinks between meals. Chewing sugar-free gum after eating can help your teeth too.
10.    Count your smiles. Smiling is infectious. Developing a ‘smile-habit’ and can make a huge difference to our personalities and relationships too! Take our challenge and try to share and receive 25 smiles a day. Let us know how you get on through our facebook page!

1. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in many foods and in all drinking water.

2. Fluoride can greatly help dental health by strengthening your tooth enamel, making it more resistant to tooth decay.

3. The addition of fluoride to water supplies has been researched for over 50 years, and water fluoridation has been proven to reduce tooth decay by 40-60 per cent.

4. Only Hartlepool and Essex have enough natural fluoride in their water to benefit dental health. Other places have to have it added to their water supply. Only around 12 per cent of the population have fluoridated water mostly in the West Midlands and North East.

5. The addition of fluoride in toothpaste has been responsible for reducing decay by up to 50 per cent.

6. All children up to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm (parts per million). After three years old they should use a toothpaste that has 1350-1500ppm. These figures should be on the outer packaging.

7. Fluoride varnishes applied by the dentist can help further reduce children’s dental decay.

8. There is no scientific evidence of any adverse effects of water fluoridation as claimed by those who oppose it.

9. Levels of dental decay have fallen in fluoridated and non fluoridated areas in the UK, but distinct inequalities still exist.

10. Parents should supervise their children’s tooth brushing until age 7 and only use a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, always encourage your children to spit the toothpaste out and not swallow or rinse after brushing.

During pregnancy your body undergoes so many dramatic and visible changes, that it’s easy to miss more subtle changes affecting your teeth and gums. Here are ten top facts about dental care, which are really relevant for pregnant women and their babies: 

1. Having poor oral health during pregnancy will enhance the chances of premature and low birth weight for your baby, so it is really important to keep seeing your dentist and hygienist.
2. Your gums are more likely to bleed during pregnancy, this is normally due to hormonal changes, but do make sure your dental team know you’re pregnant.
3. Smoking during your pregnancy can affect the formation of enamel on your unborn baby’s teeth – one more good reason to get some help if you’re struggling to quit!
4. There is no truth in the rumour that calcium deficiency due to pregnancy causes tooth problems in expectant mothers.
5.  If you do suffer from morning sickness, rinse your mouth out with water to prevent the acid in the vomit attacking your teeth and causing enamel erosion.
6. By the time your baby is born their adult teeth will already have started developing!
7. Teething normally begins before your baby is one. Small children have twenty teeth and they have normally all erupted through the gums by the age of two and a half.
8. Signs of teething include swollen or red gums where the tooth is coming through. Cheeks may be red and unfortunately it’s fairly normal to experience disrupted sleep and night time waking.  Letting your child chew on a special chilled teething ring can provide some relief from the pain.
9. As soon as your baby begins teething you should start cleaning their teeth with a 1000ppm fluoride toothpaste. Make sure you use a very small, soft toothbrush that is designed to be gentle but effective in your baby’s delicate mouth.
10. Bring your baby along to your check-up, they’ll get used to visiting the dentist and understand that it’s a normal part of our oral care routine. Most children are ready for their first check-up by the age of three, but speak to your dentist to confirm when your child is ready.

1. Change your lipstick. The colour tone of your lipstick can have a dramatic affect on the appearance of your teeth. If your teeth appear yellow try a berry shade, or bright, bubble-gum pink, the blue undertones in these colours will enhance the white in your teeth. If your teeth appear grayish, try a copper or bronze shade to brighten your teeth.
2. Boost your tan. Fake of course, but applying bronzer or self-tanning lotion will make your teeth appear whiter. The darker your complexion, the whiter your teeth appear!
3. Avoid wearing white. Dark colours provide a better contrast with your teeth and skin tone and can help your teeth appear whiter (by the way, this is part of the reason why blondes and people with fairer skin have to work harder to make their teeth look whiter).

For decades visiting Americans have repeated the mantra ‘Brits have bad teeth’, but with modern cosmetic dentistry there are so many options available that no one need ‘accept’ the smile they have.

One of the quickest and easiest treatments is professional tooth whitening. Your initial appointment will give the dentist a chance to talk you through the process and for you to decide upon the shade you want to achieve. An examination of your mouth will ensure that you have no undetected dental problems, before impressions (casts) of your teeth are made. These casts are used to create your bespoke whitening trays, which hold the whitening gel close to the surface of your teeth. At your second appointment the dentist will check the fit of the trays and show you how to apply the gel. Once you’re confident, you can take the trays and gel home and whiten your teeth as and when it suits you most. Many people wear the trays in bed at night, personally I wear them when I’m baking – it stops me snacking on the cake mix!

Whitening can take between four and six weeks, depending on the original colour of your teeth. The final affect can last for up to two years (avoiding food and drink that stain your teeth will help), but the bonus with this system is the ability to ‘top-up’ the whitening effect as and when you need it. We always stock whitening gel, at Elmsleigh House Dental Clinic

Tooth Whitening in Surrey

, so there is no reason why you can’t maintain your new whiter, brighter tooth colour indefinitely!

For anyone with ‘gappy’ or crooked teeth cosmetic bonding and shaping is a minimally invasive treatment option. White composite, the same material we use for tooth-coloured fillings, can be bonded to your teeth, building up the adjacent teeth and filling unsightly gaps. Crooked teeth can be made to appear more even, by gently removing excess tooth enamel. Working only on the edge of the teeth, where there are no nerves, your dentist will use a dental burr, to file away excess tooth. I’ve personally tried this treatment, having the pointed ends of my large canine’s filed off and the adjacent teeth (which are naturally very small), built up to fill the gaps and make my canines appear smaller. I didn’t need any local anaesthetic, and for the first time ever my teeth look white, even and regular!

We have more than 22 years experience of cosmetic dentistry and we always aim to balance the health of your teeth and smile, with achieving the best possible cosmetic outcome. Every mouth is individual, so all cosmetic treatment starts with a consultation – our dentists can learn about you and your dream smile and you can learn about the options available. After the consultation we’ll send you a full treatment plan, which outlines the appointments you will need and the costs involved. Why not make 2012 the year you look for excuses to smile, every day!

 Whilst most of would agree that the current top five UK resolutions:

1. Give up smoking
2. Drink less
3. Lose weight
4. Take more exercise
5. Reduce stress

… are all good ideas, the 30 million UK adults who admit to making New Year’s resolutions are missing out by not pledging to improve their oral health too!

Having a healthy mouth is fundamental to your general well-being as the bacteria prevalent in gum disease have been linked to other potentially serious medical problems including; heart disease, premature birth, diabetes and stroke.

Small, simple, changes which will help to improve your oral health include: visiting your dentist and hygienist regularly; brushing first thing in the morning and before you go to sleep with fluoride toothpaste; and cutting back on how often you indulge in sugary foods and drinks. Combined, as a new, four-minute regime, these changes will help to protect your teeth whilst contributing to your new healthy lifestyle!

So what are you waiting for…

75% of the world’s population have no access to the simplest dental care, leaving billions to face the daily battle with pain in the toughest of circumstances.

Bridge2Aid, the UK’s fastest-growing dental charity, is working in the developing nations to address this situation. Based in Tanzania since 2002, Bridge2Aid has focussed on developing sustainable services, which empower local people to provide dental care in rural communities.

Using money raised in the UK, Bridge2Aid has trained over 170 local health workers in emergency dentistry. This training has extended access to dentistry into rural Tanzania and an estimated 1.7 million people now live within reach of someone who can help them when they have dental pain.

Elmsleigh House Dental Clinic has been involved with Bridge2Aid as a founder unity partnership member since the early days. We have already donated more than £3,000 to fund the training of Renatha Ludubi. Working as a qualified Clinical Officer, based in the Zongomela Dispensary, Renatha told us:

“Making dental services available at every dispensary in rural areas is something to be appreciated. Thanks Bridge2Aid and Elmsleigh House…for what you have done.”

With the help of our ‘facebook fans’ Elmsleigh House want to raise enough money to train a second Clinical Officer. To achieve this we need to raise £2,500. For every ‘like’ on our page we will donate £2 to Bridge2Aid – so to hit this target we need to have 1,250 likes by the end of 2012! You can find our facebook page at: www.facebook.co.uk/elmsleighdental

Bridge2Aid are really excited by this fundraising activity. Kerry Dutton, one of the charity’s fundraising coordinators in the UK, believes we are the first dental practice to use facebook to raise money for Bridge2Aid – an idea she’s keen to promote to other practices who are considering donating to the charity.

Collecting all of the cash in our very special Bridge2Aid tooth moneybox, we’ll be sending the money you’ve raised out to Tanzania every three months. Whilst we’re really expecting to reach our £2,500 target by the end of 2012, there is still  lots that can be achieved with less. £205 buys a basic dental kit and steriliser, vital equipment each Clinical Officer uses on a daily basis. Treating between 7,000 and 15,000 people, the Clinical Officers rely upon their instrument kit to provide vital emergency care in rural areas.

Bridge2Aid vision is a world free from dental pain. To help them achieve this please ‘like’ our  page at www.facebook.co.uk/elmsleighdental  and encourage your friends to do the same – together we can raise enough money to make a difference to the lives of people struggling in Tanzania.