Today, a leading British dental charity has warned BBC News that millions of dental treatments have been missed due to COVID. In fact, dentists have provided around 19 million fewer treatments in England since March this year compared to the same period last year.

Practices are operating at a fraction of their capacity during the pandemic as new Coronavirus regulations mean dentists have had to significantly reduce the numbers they treat, in order to clean the surgery between patients.

The BDA has warned the Government that the reduction in the number of patients seen, and the knock-on effect of dental practices being forced to close, could have a dramatic impact on the patients’ oral health and the country risks “an oral health crisis”.

At CK Dental, we have been invested in our dental clinic to make sure it is as safe as possible for patients. Recently, we installed a new special air filtering system to improve safety. Not only does it have the recommended HEPA filter but the filters are very easy to change and the purifier also has the capacity to filter out 99.97% of pathogens as small as 0.3 microns.

We are also accepting new patients at this time and offer budget payment plans with Denplan Essentials to make treatment more affordable, including two check-ups, two hygienist appointments, and a 10% discount on necessary treatment and insurance.

Call us on 0117 905 9866 to register as a new patient or to find out more about our payment plans.

Since reopening their doors, dentists have started to see a rise in cracked teeth. This is being put down to the stress caused by COVID. It is one of several physical ailments thought to be caused by the stress of the pandemic.

Here, we’ll look at the rise in cracked teeth and how patients can prevent this potentially costly side effect.

Understanding the rise in cracked teeth

In America, some dentists are seeing anything from 2 to 5 cases of fractured teeth each day. Prior to the pandemic, it would have been one case, sometimes every other day. So, there has been a clear rise in cases during COVID, but why?

The coronavirus doesn’t cause the teeth to become more fragile. However, it does cause a lot more anxiety. A side effect of anxiety is teeth grinding, or bruxism. Patients don’t always know when they are suffering with bruxism as it often presents itself overnight. If you wake up and your teeth or jaw feels sore, it is a good indicator you are grinding or gnashing your teeth during the night.

What is teeth grinding?

Teeth grinding occurs when the jaws clench together. It is usually caused by stress and anxiety and occurs more during the night. However, it can also be caused by health issues or lifestyle factors. The condition is said to affect around six million people in the UK and it can result in the following symptoms:

• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Sleep disorders
• Stiffness of the neck and shoulders
• Earache

As many patients are finding out, teeth grinding can also seriously damage the teeth. Over time, the condition causes the teeth to weaken. This can result in chipped teeth, as well as wear down the enamel causing sensitivity.

Can you prevent it?

As anxiety tends to cause most cases of teeth grinding, managing it could be key to prevention. Patients are advised to focus on reducing their anxiety levels through activities such as meditation, yoga and massage.

While it isn’t easy to relax during a pandemic, doing so could be essential for your teeth. Focus on taking time out each day to relax. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, it’s time to visit your dentist to determine the cause.

If you have only just started grinding your teeth, you could also prevent a crack by wearing a mouth guard at night. Your dentist will be able to prescribe one of these for you.

Treating cracked teeth

If the teeth do become cracked due to teeth grinding, treatment will be needed. The treatment method provided will depend upon the severity of the crack. If it hasn’t reached the inner core of the teeth (known as the pulp), a root canal can typically treat it.  However, if it has gone all the way through the tooth, it may need to be removed.

The rise in cracked teeth due to the stress of COVID is concerning for dentists. The above is just a brief overview of the symptoms to watch out for and the potential ways to prevent the teeth from cracking.

These days, you can find information and tutorials online for practically anything you want to learn. Unsurprisingly, DIY beauty tutorials and videos are particularly popular. The trouble is, while some DIY tips can prove invaluable, others are downright dangerous.

One beauty trend which dentists are warning against is DIY braces. Teens across social media have been uploading videos on how to create and use DIY braces. Little do they know the harmful effects it could have, not just on the teeth, but on overall oral health.

Here, we’ll look at why we’re warning against DIY braces and the potential damage they can cause.

What exactly are DIY braces?

The current DIY brace trend sees kids using household items to secure the teeth into position. Common items used include dental floss, paper clips, rubber bands and even fishing line.

The items are fastened onto the teeth and worn for a period of time to attempt to alter their position. While logically it could potentially work, using DIY braces unfortunately poses a lot of risks.

Why are DIY braces bad for the teeth?

The difficulty with DIY braces is that they only look at altering the position of the teeth. With professional braces on the other hand, a dentist will also factor in the position of the upper and lower jaw. This is because braces can pull on the jaw, putting excessive pressure onto it. So, if you use DIY methods, you could potentially end up damaging the jaw.

Another issue some young people have had with DIY braces is the items used to secure the teeth have vanished overnight. While they believe they have simply lost them in bed, the truth is the items have become lodged underneath the gum. This in itself poses a big risk for oral health, not to mention the potential for swallowing items if they do become dislodged in the night.

Another concern with DIY braces is that they could also lead to tooth loss. This is because the braces can cause the ligaments which hold the teeth into position, to break. So, while DIY braces may seem like a good idea, they can do a lot more harm than good.

The benefits of professional teeth straightening

Having braces professionally fitted isn’t just safer, it also delivers a lot more benefits than DIY braces. When fitted correctly, braces can:

• Improve your chewing ability
• Help you regain your confidence
• Eliminate speech impairments
• Reduces the risk of grinding the teeth
• Reduces the risk of gum disease

As well as traditional braces, we also offer Invisalign, which uses clear plastic aligners to gently move teeth into position.

These are just some of the benefits you can expect from professionally fitted braces. So, while it may be tempting to try out DIY braces, the potential risks shouldn’t be ignored. It may be cheaper initially, but the damage it could cause to the teeth and gums could see you paying a lot more in the long-term than you would if you’d have had them professionally fitted.

If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your smile, call CK Dental on 0117 905 9866 to arrange an appointment.

At CK Dental, patients can benefit from the latest technology, combined with Cornelius’ calm and gentle approach and vast experience in treating dental phobic patients. Here Cornelius discusses how he deals with dental anxiety.

How do you approach dental phobia?

Cornelius: Every patient at CK Dental is treated as an individual and we try to find a solution to their dental anxiety that allows them to have what can often be very necessary dental treatment.

Many patients have very neglected teeth. The first step is obviously to eradicate any problems that could have serious implications for their health in the future.

Then you have to look into what they want to achieve going forward, which will be a balance between their health and any cosmetic concerns. Are they satisfied with something less invasive or do they want permanent solutions? If the latter, what fixed restorations are they happy to have? Also, their physical health and wellbeing are taken into account.

All of this is discussed in the planning stage. Careful pre-planning also means you can ensure their time in the chair is as minimal as possible.

How often is General Anaesthetic Dentistry appropriate for dental phobic patients?

Cornelius: Every patient that comes to us with a dental phobia is assessed as an individual. We always try to establish whether they are able to undergo Dental Treatment Under Sedation as opposed to General Anaesthetic Dentistry as most patients don’t realise that the form of sedation we use at CK Dental is typically not the same as what they’ve been offered before at other clinics.

What makes CK Dental’s sedation treatment different?

Cornelius: We see many patients that say that sedation has never worked for them before, but that is because most dental practices will only be offering oral sedation in the form of Diazepam, also known as Valium, whereas our Dental Treatment Under Sedation is actually conscious sedation. It is delivered by our Consultant Anaesthetist and it is calibrated exactly to the patient. They are still awake and breathing normally, but deeply sedated, so the experience is very different.

How is technology used to help dental phobic patients?

Cornelius: We have just introduced the new iTero intraoral scanner in the clinic, an important tool in alleviating dental anxiety. The scanner is a replacement for manually taking dental impressions which many patients are uncomfortable with. It is super precise which aids in the planning process – we can even print 3D models for patients – so it cuts down on the length of time the patient has to be in the chair.

Good communication is key in treating patients with dental anxiety and the scanner means we can look at images on the big screen to discuss their treatment in detail. It can also help to track their treatment or compare wear and tear over time. Patients are then empowered to make informed decisions about their treatment.

Do you treat children that are scared of the dentist?

Cornelius: We do not treat any under 18s as that’s always done in an NHS dental hospital. Children are more prone to adverse reactions to sedation, so their procedures are performed under general anaesthetic.

Does CK Dental’s hospital setting give patients confidence?

Cornelius: For some patients, our location in the Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital definitely helps. We have never had an issue, but there is an emergency button located in the clinic and there is always an on-call doctor and crash team on hand in the hospital.

Is it possible to cure dental phobia?

Cornelius: Some patients have very deep-rooted phobias that they are never fully able to eradicate, but many of our patients are able, after undergoing successful and pain-free dental treatment, to get over that fear and adopt an oral healthcare routine, that includes regular check-ups and treatments.

Call us on 0117 905 9866 to discuss our treatment options for dealing with dental anxiety.

We are delighted to welcome Dr Emma Langridge as our new Associate Dentist at our Bristol dental practice.

Emma has a great passion for ethically-based, minimally invasive dentistry, providing bespoke treatment plans to suit each individual patient. She is a big believer that all her patients should be able to smile with confidence and will work with patients until these aims are achieved. This may be simply optimising dental health for some, or for others, this could be changing the appearance of teeth for a smile to be proud of.

Whatever your concern, she will be able to help. In a calm and relaxed setting, she will provide you with a first-class experience at CK Dental.

Since graduating from Cardiff University in 2014, Emma has undertaken a number of hospital posts, allowing her to obtain more advanced skills in the areas of Restorative Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. She has since gone on to optimise these skills within the general practice setting, now providing a wide range of dental treatments from oral surgery through to cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics.

Emma is committed to providing the highest standards of treatment for all her patients, regularly attending a multitude of courses. Dentistry is an ever-changing world and Emma is looking forward to making use of the newer concepts of digital dentistry to enhance your patient experience.

Outside of work, Emma lives locally in Bristol. She is a self-confessed foodie and enjoys sampling the wide range of restaurants Bristol has to offer. Alongside this, she enjoys travel, fitness and Pilates.