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Which celebs have had dental work?

We all know they do it – how else would they all have such perfectly straight, gleaming white teeth – but cosmetic dental work is not something that celebrities tend to shout about.

Even Botox gets talked about more than teeth whitening, in the celeb world, so the team here at CK Dental has decided to put together a list of famous people who have obviously had something ‘done’ to their teeth, and hazard a guess as to what that might be:

The Artist Formerly Known As Cheryl Cole

Whatever her new married name is, we all know her as Mrs Cole, so we’ll stick to that here. Back in the days when she was plain old Cheryl Tweedy, her gnashers were less than pearly white and there was a definite jut to her canines – not the perfectly even set she flaunts now.

Our Bristol dentist team thinks she has definitely had tooth whitening, and almost certainly had them straightened too – probably using something along the lines of the Invisalign invisible braces system, as no one remembers her sporting train tracks on The X Factor. Another option could be dental veneers.

Simon Cowell

Another X Factor judge and Cheryl’s mentor (maybe it was he who suggested she have the work done?), Mr Cowell is no stranger to cosmetic work. Again, we’re pretty sure he’s had his teeth whitened on numerous occasions, and with his penchant for beauty treatments, we wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’d had a lot of other cosmetic dentistry treatments too.

Tom Cruise

You wouldn’t know it to look at him now, but if you hunt down old photos of Tom Cruise before he was famous, he had some real issues with his teeth. His front teeth were seriously wonky and one of them was distinctly brown. It wasn’t until he’d had some pretty complex cosmetic dental work done that he really hit the big time.

The team here at CK Dental practice in Bristol reckons he’s at least undergone tooth straightening with something like Invisalign, but possibly had a full set of dental implants to create the flawless set of gnashers he sports these days.

It just goes to show that cosmetic dentistry can have a big impact on the way you look, and – for Mr Cruise at least – can even help you to get ahead in your career.

For more information about cosmetic dentistry in Bristol, please contact us.

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Make your mouth kissable this Valentines Day

It’s easy to think that a kissable mouth is all about the lips, but while a plump, sexy pout might well get you that first kiss, good oral health is what will bring them back for more. The team here at CK Dental practice in Bristol have come up with some top tips to ensure that you are as kissable as you can be this Valentines Day:

Pay a visit to the dental hygienist

Of course, brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing and using mouthwash regularly will all help to ensure that you maintain a good standard of oral hygiene, but if you want to make extra sure that your teeth are sparkling clean and your breath as fresh as a daisy, it might be worth making an appointment to see the dental hygienist at our Bristol dentist practice.

The hygienist can give your teeth a thorough clean and offer advice as to what foods you can eat to help avoid gum disease and tooth decay.

Make sure your breath is minty fresh

Bad breath can be the most off-putting factor when it comes to kissability, so make sure yours is as fresh as can be by brushing your teeth and gargling with mouthwash before that big date.

If you’re a smoker try to quit now, to ensure the smell has well and truly gone by Valentines Day, and on the night itself avoid foods that are heavy in garlic.

Consider whitening

If your teeth are severely stained – whether that be from smoking, excessive tea or coffee drinking or just general wear and tear – then tooth whitening in Bristol might be a good option for you.

Here at CK Dental, we offer a personalised, home-use whitening kit that promises to whiten your teeth in just two weeks, so if you start now, you can have a full set of pearly whites just in time for the big day!

Initially, you need to come for an appointment at our Bristol dental clinic, where our dentist, Cornelius Krause can assess your suitability for teeth whitening and make an impression of your teeth, which will be used to create your personalised whitening tray.

You will then be given this tray to take home, along with the whitening solution and instructions on how to use them.

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Stop press: Brits have better teeth than Americans

It may seem hard to believe, with recent news stories about us Brits being too ashamed of our teeth to smile in photos – not to mention the longstanding belief that Americans, with their beautiful sets of pearly whites, are horrified by our stained, wonky gnashers – but a new cross-pacific study has shown that people Stateside actually have significantly worse teeth than we do.

What did the study show?

The study, which was conducted by teams from University College London, the National University of Colombia and the Harvard School of Public Health, looked at data from thousands of men and women aged 25 and over, in both the UK and the US.

The findings showed that the mean number of missing teeth was significantly higher in the States (7.31 teeth missing) than in the UK (6.97). It was also shown that in the US, incidence of missing teeth and edentulousness (complete lack of teeth) was highest amongst those aged 25-64, whereas in the United Kingdom it was higher amongst older people, aged 65 plus.

Why would this be?

One major finding of the study was that people of a lower socioeconomic background – that is, poorer people – were far more likely to suffer from oral health problems than in the UK. One possible reason cited for this is that most dental work in the UK is available on the NHS, whereas in the States, dental healthcare, like all medical care, needs to be covered by personal health insurance, which is not always affordable to those on lower incomes.

Does private dental care have to be expensive?

Not at all. Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we have teamed up with DenPlan to offer all our patients affordable dental work on an easy payment plan. Even on the NHS, you have to pay for dental treatment – albeit at a reduced rate – and you may well have to wait for treatment.

At Bristol dentist practice CK Dental, patients who sign up with DenPlan pay affordable monthly payments, meaning they can rest assured that not only are all their check-ups and hygienist visits paid for in advance, but in the event that they should suffer a dental emergency, that will be covered too.

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Embarrassed about your teeth? We can help!

There have been a lot of news stories over the past few months about Brits and their terrible teeth, with some stories claiming up to a fifth of us are too embarrassed to smile in photographs because of dental problems.

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we believe we can help to give you the confidence to smile this year and to prove it we’ve put together a list of the three most common teeth complaints and what we can do about them.

Wonky teeth

Whether it’s buck teeth, overcrowding or jutting canines, wonky teeth don’t have to be an issue. If you can’t quite face the thought of wearing traditional “train track” braces as an adult, why not try Invisalign – an invisible braces system that can straighten your teeth just as quickly as normal braces, without the associated discomfort and embarrassment.

Stained, yellow teeth

If your teeth are discoloured, why not try professional teeth whitening? The system we use here at Bristol dentist practice CK dental is widely considered to be one of the safest and most effective on the market today, leaving you with the bright white smile you’ve always dreamed of. So if you’re looking for tooth whitening in Bristol, give us a call today.

Broken teeth

If you have poorly shaped, unevenly sized, or broken teeth, you might want to consider dental veneers. CK Dental practice offers porcelain dental veneers in Bristol to create an even, white smile using minimally invasive techniques. The veneers are bonded to your teeth meaning they look and feel very natural, allowing you to eat and talk as normal.

So, with all these dental solutions and more, if you’re looking for a cosmetic dentist in Bristol why not let CK Dental help you make 2016 the year you got your smile back?

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Scared of the dentist?

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we don’t want anyone to be scared of going to the dentist and we make every effort to ensure that our practice is as relaxed and welcoming as possible.

However, there is such a thing as dentalphobia, which is an irrational fear of going to the dentist. Staff here at our Bristol dental clinic are trained in dealing with dentalphobic patients and we have certain tricks up our sleeve which can make a big difference, but what if there were a way to cure your phobia once and for all?

The research

A team of researchers at King’s College London has carried out a study which shows that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could have a positive effect on people suffering from dentalphobia, allowing them to visit the dentist without the need for sedation.

The study was published in The British Dental Journal and looked at the effect of CBT on 130 patients with dental anxiety. 79% of the patients who had CBT went on to have dental treatment without the need for sedation, after an average of five CBT sessions.

What is CBT?

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a kind of therapy that teaches patients techniques to alter the way they deal with stressful or anxiety-inducing situations. It is a short-term treatment, with most people needing only six to ten sessions, and is most commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.

It has been shown that CBT can not only help to reduce dentalphobia but can also have a positive effect on dental attendance.

So CBT can actually help to improve your dental health?

In a way, yes. Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we encourage all patients to visit the practice at least once every six months for a check-up. This allows us to keep a close eye on your oral health and deal with any potential problems early.

For many people, visiting the dentist twice a year doesn’t pose a problem, but for dentalphobic patients, even a routine dental check-up is fraught with anxiety. Together with the efforts we at CK Dental make to put all our patients at ease, CBT could be a valuable tool to encourage these patients to attend the dentist more regularly.

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How can poor teeth affect a footballer’s performance?

A study carried out towards the end of last year showed that footballers had worse oral health than the average person in the UK, and researchers claim this could have a negative impact on their ability to perform on the football pitch.

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we see a lot of patients with tooth decay and many of them find it difficult to see a link between dental health problems and the ability to do their job, so we wanted to explain how problems with your teeth can reach further than you might expect.

The study

The researchers, from the International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health at University College London, looked at 187 players from eight football clubs in England and Wales. They found that around 40% had tooth decay, compared to about 30% of their peers in the non-footballing population.

They also found that 53% had dental erosion and 45% were bothered by their dental health, with 7% claiming it affected their ability on the pitch.

Why would it have this effect?

Toothache is widely acknowledged to be one of the most debilitating pains, as it affects not just the mouth, but the head, neck and even ears, making it difficult to concentrate, hold a conversation or even sleep.

According to Professor Ian Needleman, one of the researchers, “There are two main groups [among the footballers] – some have a catastrophic effect, they have very severe abscesses that stop them in their tracks and they cannot play or train.

“There’ll be others experiencing pain affecting sleeping or sensitivity every time they take a drink.”

Why footballers?

It seems strange that people who otherwise take such care of themselves physically should disregard their dental health, and the researchers did not find conclusive evidence to explain the problem. Theories include a high intake of sugary sports drinks to boost energy, or the fact that a lot of air circulate in the mouth during play, decreasing levels of saliva, which helps to protect the teeth.

Whatever the reasons behind it, it is clear to the team here at Bristol dental practice CK Dental that we all need to take better care of our teeth to avoid unnecessary interruption of our careers and daily routine.

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New year resolutions for your teeth

We’ve all got our new year diet and exercise regime sorted, and after the Christmas excess we can’t wait to get on it. But have you thought about compiling a list of new year resolutions for your teeth? It might sound silly, but with “good teeth” ranking high on everyone’s list of most attractive qualities in a potential partner, not to mention all the health benefits, it might be worth a go.

Here’s a list of suggestions from the team here at Bristol dental practice CK Dental:

Brush twice a day, floss once a day

It sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how many patients at our Bristol dental practice admit that they often forget to brush twice a day. Ideally, you should brush after every meal, but as that’s not convenient for most people, thoroughly brushing morning and evening should be enough to keep the worst of the plaque at bay. Floss in the evenings too, to help get rid of any stray bits of food caught between your teeth, which will eventually turn into plaque if left.

See your dentist every six months

For some reason, trips to the dentist seem to fall low down on many people’s list of priorities – reasons cited usually include a shortage of time or money. In fact, if you get your dental health checked every six months, as recommended, you can save yourself an awful lot of time and money in future. If you’re still concerned about cost, consider signing up with Denplan (click here for more details).

Stop smoking

Smoking is bad for you in so many respects, it’s amazing that such a large proportion of the population still stick with it. It can be particularly bad for your oral health, causing yellow, stained teeth, halitosis (bad breath) and even throat cancer. If quitting smoking isn’t all ready on your list of NYRs, put it on now.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water

Try to avoid sugary foods and drinks as much as possible, stick to healthy options such as vegetables and lean meats, and drink lots of water to wash all the sugars off your teeth. This will help with your new year diet plan, as well as keeping your teeth healthy.

Finally, from all the team here at CK Dental practice in Bristol: Happy New Year!

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Keep your teeth on track this Christmas

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and for many of us that means letting go of all our food (and drink) hang-ups and gorging on mince pies, mulled wine, chocolate and all manner of sweet and savoury treats.

While it’s nice to give yourself a break every now and again, it’s important to remember that your teeth don’t know it’s Christmas and they aren’t going to take care of themselves just because it’s the festive season. Here are some tips from the team here at Bristol dental practice CK Dental to keep your teeth healthy this yuletide:

If you’re going to snack, think savoury

Every household has a bowl of nuts on the coffee table at Christmas – why not reach for that instead of the chocolate box next time you feel the need to feed those cravings? Nuts are good for you in many ways – crammed full of essential nutrients and although (like almost all plant-based foods) they do contain some natural sugars, compared to chocolates and sweets their sugar content is so minimal as to be almost negligible.

Drink water

OK, so it’s probably unreasonable to expect that you’re going to steer clear of the mulled wine all together this Christmas, but think about interspersing your alcoholic or sweetened beverages with a few glasses of water – not only will this keep the festive hangover at bay, but it will also help to wash some of the sugar off your teeth, making those sweet treats just a little less heinous for your dental health.

Keep brushing

Christmas may be an opportunity to take a break from some of the more mundane tasks of daily life, but tooth brushing is not one of them! In fact, you may wish to think about brushing more frequently over the holiday season; especially if you plan on indulging your sweet tooth.

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol our lead dentist, Cornelius Krause, recommends brushing after every meal if you can – try to leave it at least half an hour between eating and toothbrushing though, as if you brush too soon the enamel on your teeth may still be softened and you risk doing damage.

If you have any concerns, please do give us a call on 0117 906 4872 to book a post-Christmas check-up.

For now though, all the team here at CK Dental practice in Bristol wishes you a very happy Christmas.

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Dreaming of a white Christmas?

OK, so it’s probably too late for this year, but for many of us the idea of having bright, white teeth – at Christmas time or any other – would be a dream come true. However, lots of people who secretly aspire to having their teeth whitened put of doing so time and time again because of rumours they have heard about the dangers.

Here, the team at CK Dental practice in Bristol set you straight about some of those teeth whitening myths:

Myth 1: You shouldn’t get your teeth whitened before you are 30 years old

This one stems from the idea that if you get your teeth whitened before your full set of adult teeth have come through, you can end up with teeth of varying shades, and some with whiter tips and darker bases.

For this reason, teeth whitening for teenagers is not always an appropriate treatment, but the procedure can be very effective for people in their twenties, who usually do have their full set of teeth.

A dentist will usually check your teeth before going ahead with treatment, to minimise the risk of colour variations.

Myth 2: Teeth whitening is dangerous

In the long term, exposing the teeth to bleaching agents can cause damage to the enamel. This is why it is so important to have your teeth whitened professionally, by a dentist, who will understand and follow the correct EU guidelines to ensure that the procedure is both safe and effective.

In the short term, teeth whitening can make the teeth more sensitive, but this usually resolves itself in time. Again, if you see a dentist for your tooth whitening, they will be able to explain all of this to you.

Myth 3: Anyone can perform teeth whitening

Legally, only qualified dental professionals can perform tooth whitening in a clinic environment. Although a lot of beauty salons do advertise and perform the procedure, this is when tooth whitening becomes dangerous.

So long as you see a qualified dentist, teeth whitening is a very safe and effective procedure. Here at Bristol dental practice CK Dental, we use the Enlighten system, which is the technology leader in the tooth whitening market and clinically proven to be both safe and highly effective.

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Straight talk: why it’s never too late to embrace braces

‘Metal mouth’, ‘brace face’… most of us can remember the playground nicknames that brace wearers were called. However, increasing numbers of adults are turning to braces in their desire for the perfect smile.

The rise in demand for adult orthodontics is a reflection of the increased confidence that comes with having perfectly straight teeth and many men and women feel that a great smile brings social and professional advantages. There are also health benefits to having straight teeth, with a greater risk of plaque build-up with teeth that are misaligned.

Often these patients have undergone orthodontic work when they were children and require repeat treatment later on. Traditionally, you were advised to wear a retainer for a limited period after your braces were removed, usually just a year. Now we know that teeth can move back into their original position and patients are advised to wear a retainer for the rest of their lives.

Braces have also evolved in recent years and there are many more aesthetic options, including invisible braces in the form of Invisalign. Lead dentist at Bristol’s CK Dental, Cornelius Krause, will advise you whether traditional metal braces are more appropriate, which may be the case for those with severely misaligned teeth or a bite problem.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign or invisible braces are a series of clear aligners; each aligner is worn for a couple of weeks, progressively moving your teeth into the correct position. The amount of time the treatment takes varies from patient to patient, depending on the degree of misalignment, and it can take from a few months to two years.

Invisalign is not suitable for all patients, as they can’t correct differences in heights and can’t fix a severely overcrowded mouth. If you’re interested in finding out if Invisalign is suitable for you, then call 0117 906 4872 and book an appointment.

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