Wednesday, 3 July 2013

Four year old boy loses teeth even before starting pre-school


ONE of the most distressing things I see as a dental hygiene therapist are young children whose teeth are in such poor condition that extraction is the only option.
 
This happened only recently at the practice where a new patient, a four-year-old boy, had to have several decaying teeth removed. His poor mum was wracked with guilt because she thought she had made the right choices for him, but was forced to concede that she should really have known better.

It’s an all-too familiar experience and is deeply upsetting for all concerned. But where should the blame lie for incidents like this and what can be done to minimize the chances of generations of children requiring such drastic dental treatment?

In my view, it is too simplistic to lay the responsibility at parents who are often as tempted as the rest of us by clever marketing campaigns and eye-catching supermarket promotions which encourage us to eat and drink the wrong things. What is important to me is to promote healthy choices and take action swiftly before it really is too late.
 
 

The British Dental Association (BDA) is certainly taking all this very seriously indeed and has recently launched a new campaign to name and shame those food outlets which promote cheap sweets and fizzy drinks to young children.

Called ‘Make a Meal of It’ the campaign proposes restrictions on the availability of such advertising in a bid to slash the excessive amount of sugar that youngsters in the UK consume.

It includes a BDA web link to a supermarket ‘wall of shame’ which lists key offenders and gives dentists access to a templated letter to send out food outlets spelling out their concerns.

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the BDA, even goes so far as to accuse some retailers of putting profits before health and disregarding the ill effects of their products by dangling temptation in front of children.

If you feel just as strongly about this issue, you can add your name to a government e-petition launched by the BDA which calls for urgent action to tackle the problem.
 
We know that as a parent, the health of your children’s teeth will be of paramount concern to you, but there are lots of ways to ensure you are making the right choices for them as they grow and develop.
Avoid unnecessary extractions for you children and to ensure healthy teeth for life, call in today to Synergy Dental Care or free help and advice.
Remember, we are all only given one set of adult teeth. It’s our duty and responsibility to look after them!
Thanks for reading, please share our message with your friends.
 

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Toothbrush Amnesty

People have been cleaning their teeth throughout history, using a variety of materials including chew sticks, tree twigs and bird feathers.
A recent archaeological dig has found that the earliest bristle toothbrushes may have occurred as early as 1600bc in India and Africa.
Yet according to research in the 21st Century the average person changes their toothbrush only every 9-12 months. Advice for the British Dental Health Foundation is simply that worn-out toothbrushes cannot clean your teeth properly and may also damage your gums. It is therefore important to change your toothbrush every two to three months or sooner if the filaments become worn. When bristles become splayed, they do not clean properly.
At Synergy Dental Care we are passionate about improving and maintaining our patient’s oral health and during Smile Month (20th May – 20th June) we are running a campaign to spread the message ‘Get it Healthy, Keep it Healthy’.
We will be running a Toothbrush Amnesty during Smile Month, so if your toothbrush is looking a bit tired and past its best, simply pop along to Synergy Dental Care in Biddulph, Stoke on Trent www.synergydental.co.uk (Monday to Friday until 20th June), surrender your old toothbrush and we will exchange it for a new one absolutely FREE. You will also be in with the chance of winning a Sonicare Toothbrush worth £105.00 – Now that has to be something to smile about.
 







Thursday, 16 May 2013

News from Synergy Dental Care: FastBraces® Have arrived in Stoke on Trent

News from Synergy Dental Care: FastBraces® Have arrived in Stoke on Trent: We are delighted to be bringing a revolutionary new way of straightening teeth to Stoke on Trent. The FastBrace® system is FAST and in the...

FastBraces® Have arrived in Stoke on Trent

We are delighted to be bringing a revolutionary new way of straightening teeth to Stoke on Trent.

The FastBrace® system is FAST and in the majority of cases straightens  teeth in 3-12 months.

Its SAFE and is supported by 20 years research.

Its EASY taking just a few visits to the dentist.

Its AFFORDABLE less visits means less time at the dentist, less time off work or school; making it cheaper than conventional orthodontic treatments.

What's more it carries a lifetime satisfaction guarantee!

And it is available at Synergy Dental Care in Stoke on Trent book your FREE consultation visit http://www.synergydental.co.uk/treatments/smile-makeover/fast-braces




Wednesday, 27 March 2013

News from Synergy Dental Care: Don’t let Easter ruin your teeth

News from Synergy Dental Care: Don’t let Easter ruin your teeth: Easter has always been a time to celebrate with family and friends. Originally involving the trading of eggs painted in bright colours,...

Don’t let Easter ruin your teeth

Easter has always been a time to celebrate with family and friends. Originally involving the trading of eggs painted in bright colours, this tradition has evolved into a chance to gorge on something less healthy - the chocolate Easter egg.
While it’s an exciting time for children, Easter egg hunts and their sugary prizes can spell disaster for their teeth. So, how can you make sure you protect your child’s teeth without ruining their fun?
Here at Synergy Dental Care, Dr. Richard Armishaw offers some helpful tips on ensuring your kid’s teeth remain in great shape over the Easter period - no matter how many chocolate eggs they munch their way through!
According to Richard, children can still enjoy the abundance of Easter confectionary without running the risk of damaging their smiles. The trick is to encourage them to eat sweets at the end of a meal, rather than constantly nibbling throughout the day: “Contrary to popular belief, frequent eating of sugary food and drinks is far worse for the teeth than the volume children actually eat. After eating sugar, teeth are under acid attack for up to an hour, so if you can reduce the number of occasions your child eats sugar throughout the day, you also limit the amount of time that their teeth are susceptible. This is really important over Easter when children eat more sugary foods than normal.”
A good tip to help manage sweets and chocolates is to put them in a special box or tin and allow your children to choose some to eat at the end of a meal. During Easter, introduce sweets at mealtimes only, with perhaps one additional snack. Your child’s teeth will be able to withstand those four attacks of sugar and acid, and after cleaning their teeth before bed you can also go to sleep with a clear conscience!
Be aware of danger factors as children naturally prefer sweet food, the challenge for parents is to balance giving them the food they love while at the same time looking out for their teeth and gums.
Richard reminds parents that there is no shame in letting the kids have a little of what they fancy at Easter: “Parents simply need to be aware of the danger factors for teeth - sugar and acid.
Knowing how to combat them means that foods containing sugar do not need to be avoided altogether.”
Richard  suggests using the Easter school holidays as a good time to brush up on children’s teeth care habits: “School holidays give parents a bit more time to check that children are brushing their teeth properly. Dentists recommend children brush their teeth using fluoride toothpaste for two minutes once in the morning and once at night. “I’d also recommend that you encourage your children to spit rather than rinse. Rinsing after brushing reduces the effectiveness of fluoride, so don’t rinse it all away.
“Another fun way of encouraging children to brush their teeth properly is to give them plaque-disclosing tablets. These turn the mouth dark blue in areas where there’s plaque left and show you where you need to brush more. These are available from dentists and chemists and are less than £2 for a packet.”
If you need guidance on helping your children to brush their teeth correctly then why not pop along to the Synergy Dental Care over the school holiday, where our Arina our Dental Therapist will be happy to show your kids brushing techniques.

Friday, 22 March 2013

COFFEE & CAKE DAY IN AID OF HELP FOR HEROES

Here at Synergy we’ll be popping on our pinnies and getting out the recipe books again in time for another great ‘Coffee & Cake Day’ on April 23rd in aid of the wonderful Help for Heroes charity.
It’s open to everyone – patients and non-patients alike – and every penny raised from your generous donations will help support service men and women who have suffered life-changing injuries.
There’ll be a mouth-watering array of treats available on the day, including our now famous coffee cake, ginger cake, chocolate cake and cupcakes. Yummy!
There will also be a chance for you to meet the Synergy team as you relax with a coffee in the informal surroundings of our Tunstall Road, Biddulph, practice.
Why not bring a friend too? The event runs all day and you’ll be making a valuable contribution to a very worthwhile cause.
So please support us on Tuesday April 23rd for our big charity event of the year. It’s a piece of cake!