In Sweden it is compulsory to fit winter tyres to your car between 1 December and 31 March.

I was talking about snow this morning.
It’s day five of the latest ‘big freeze’ to affect the UK, snow still blankets the ground and most pavements and side roads remain slippery and icy.
I was talking about the snow to my colleague Birgitta who comes from Umeå in northern Sweden. I asked Birgitta about her drive into work and we ended up discussing the Swedish approach to severe winter weather driving. I was surprised to learn that most Swedish people don’t buy a four wheel drive car so that they can still get around when there is a heavy snowfall. This is probably because it is compulsory to fit winter tyres onto cars between 1 December and 31 March in Sweden.
How does this relate to gum disease?
Well I like this Swedish approach. They accept that severe weather is coming and develop an efficient and cost-effective response which helps to make Sweden one of the safest places to drive in Europe*.
For the same reason I like going to see my dental hygienist every six months. I know that I’ll spend 45 minutes having the health of my gums and teeth carefully examined by a trained professional. My hygienist works in partnership with my dentist and they share vital information which helps to keep my mouth healthier.
During the appointment my hygienist will also take the time to point out any areas of my mouth that I’m not cleaning effectively. She is also happy to show me how to use my toothbrush, dental floss and inter-dental brushes as efficiently as possible.
I value my hygienist because I’ve read these statistics about gum disease:

• The NHS estimates that half the adult population has some degree of gum disease and most people experience it at least once in their life.
•  Some 83% of people in the UK have signs of gum disease, with two-thirds of study respondents in the same government research having visible plaque on at least one of their teeth.**

So why am I so bothered by these gum disease statistics?

Well it’s because of this statement, which I’ve copied directly from this NHS website

If you have gum disease, your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth and you may have bad breath. In severe cases, a condition called periodontitis can develop. It affects the tissues that support teeth and hold them in place. Each year in the UK there are about six cases of severe periodontitis for every 100,000 people. If periodontitis is not treated, the bone in your jaw can decay and small spaces can open up between the gum and teeth. Your teeth can become loose and may eventually fall out.

I can’t foresee the UK government making dental hygiene compulsory in 2013.
But I do know that visiting a hygienist is one of the best low-risk, affordable and long-term investments you can make in your own oral health. Why not make 2013 the year you make visiting a dental hygienist one of your priorities?
* Less than 4 road fatalities per 100,000 population in 2010 taken from: http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/irtadpublic/pdf/11IrtadReport.pdf
** http://www.sharppanel.co.uk/news/gum-disease-latest-facts-and-statistics

Are you stuck in a rut?

Are you stuck in a rut?

Are your habits so ingrained you’ve nearly worn a track in the carpet?

We’ve all got busy, demanding lives, so sometimes it’s easier to stick to a tried and tested routine… getting up at the same time, eating the same food, buying the same brands, seeing the same people, following the same routine at the gym…

Maybe having a break from ‘the rut’ is what makes our holidays so rejuvenating?

We can all get stuck in a rut when it comes to our oral hygiene too. Picture this:

It’s early in the morning, you’re running late for work, the kids have driven you mad and you still need to take a shower before you drive them to school on my way to work.

You squirt some toothpaste on my brush and scrub around your mouth for about 30 seconds and then jump in the shower.

Occasionally you’ll gargle the mouthwash that’s been sitting on the bathroom shelf for more than a year.

This routine is not helping your teeth or gums. If you want a healthy mouth you need to climb out of this rut and develop some new healthy habits.

I’m here to help – to make this painless we’re going to try building one new habit every week:

Week one – step one!

Buy a new brush.

It can be electric or manual, just make sure the head isn’t too large and the bristles aren’t too hard.

Now mentally divide your mouth into four quarters – upper right, upper left, lower right… you’ve got, this lower left.

You are going to brush each quarter of your mouth for 30 seconds. If you have a new electric brush it may time this for you. If you’re still a manual brusher I suggest you use a timer.

Next week we’re going to improve on your technique… enjoy brushing your way out of the rut!

Many of us finding brushing easier than flossing, so I suppose it’s no surprise that even the most ardent ‘brushers’ who fully embrace the ‘two minutes twice a day’ brushing routine often don’t floss.

I don’t w

Flossing front teeth

ant to scare you, but every week researchers seem to uncover new and frightening evidence which links gum disease with other very unpleasant medical problems including diabetes, heart disease and premature birth.

One of the major causes of this gum disease is our own failure to effectively clean our gums and the spaces in between our teeth… those dingy interdental crevices which can, over time, harbour nasty infections.

I personally find flossing quite challenging (but then I am also incapable of holding a hairdryer and wielding a hair brush at the same time), but I’ve made a pledge to be kinder to my gums and step one is to ask a member of our fantastic hygiene team to team me how to floss properly. Once I’ve mastered flossing I’m going to make a video, post it on here and spread the love!
Until then I thought it might be useful to borrow some tips from leading habit-guru Leo Barbuata:

1. Pick a trigger. Something automatic that is already part of your daily routine. If you brush your teeth every morning (please do and BEFORE breakfast if possible), then as you reach for your brush pick up the floss first.
2. Have a visual reminder. It’s important to act upon your trigger straight away, so place the floss next to your toothbrush.
3. Floss just one tooth. Start your flossing with just one tooth – this is such an easy habit that you can’t complain it’s too hard, or you don’t have time. On day two floss two teeth, slowly expand every few days until you’re flossing all of your teeth.
4. Focus on the moment. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that flossing is arduous or unpleasant, focus instead on something pleasant – how nice it feels to have clean teeth!

So there you are, buy some floss and have a go at creating a healthy habit oh and do let us know how you got on!

If you’re looking for love and you have missing teeth watch out – in the survey 57 percent of people agreed that missing teeth were the dental problem most likely to stop you getting a date.

If you’ve already got missing teeth one of the best permanent solutions are dental implants. With a design that’s inspired by our own teeth, dental implants are fixed teeth, which are as secure as your natural teeth and as easy to take care of.

If you’d like to learn more about how implants can help you have a look at the Elmsleigh House Dental Implant Clinic website

Missing Front Tooth

*The survey which questioned more than 1,000 people was conducted by oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation in January 2012.

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.