‘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.

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.

‘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.

Leading dental charity, the British Dental Health Foundation, has welcomed the recent announcement by the Commons Health Select Committee that ‘bold and urgent’ action is needed to tackle child health issues, with a sugar tax as a key measure.

Compelling evidence was presented to the committee that a sugar tax would protect children from two growing health problems – tooth decay and obesity.

The chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, commented on the news: “The introduction of the tax is a necessity, currently child tooth extractions due to sugar-related tooth decay are the single biggest reason for children being admitted to hospital for quick and decisive action and ministers have to pay attention.”

The announcement by MPs follow a review by Public Health England which was published a few weeks ago. Recommendations from the review included a reduction in sugar in processed foods, limits to in-store price promotions and a ten to twenty per cent tax on sugary drinks.

Sugar is evil

It’s not just a question of cutting out the sweets and chocolates; many processed foods contain surprisingly high levels of sugar. Shop-bought pasta sauces have between six and twelve grams of sugar per serving and even a slice of white or wholemeal bread can contain half a teaspoon of sugar. Parents might buy an energy or granola bar for their children, thinking they are making a healthy choice, but these ‘healthy’ snacks often contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar.

Bacteria is always present in the mouth and most are beneficial to oral health. However, harmful oral bacteria will feed on the sugar, creating acid that destroy tooth enamel. Over time cavities form and without treatment develop into full-blown tooth decay.

At CK Dental practice in Bristol, our team advise all our patients that, as well as being careful about the amount of sugar your children are consuming, a good oral hygiene routine is essential, but also regular dental check-ups are key. To book your check-up, give us a call on 0117 906 4872.

There has been a lot of media attention devoted to the dangers of teeth whitening recently, with reports that some beauty salons are continuing to offer the service illegally, even after having been prosecuted for doing so.

This has understandably caused a lot of consternation among the general public, especially as the popularity of teeth whitening treatments continues to soar – which is no doubt why so many are trying to cash in on it.

The truth is that teeth whitening is a very safe procedure, if it is carried out by a qualified, trained professional, such as Bristol dentist Cornelius Krause, chief dentist here at CK Dental.

Who is allowed to perform tooth whitening?

Only trained dental professionals, such as dentists and dental hygienists are legally allowed to carry out in-clinic teeth whitening procedures, according to the Dentists Act 1984.

This means that it is totally illegal for beauticians or beauty therapists to offer the procedure, although many of them are doing so.

What can happen if teeth whitening goes wrong?

In the hands of a dental professional, it is highly unlikely that anything could go wrong during a tooth whitening procedure. However, tooth whitening kits usually contain the bleach hydrogen peroxide, which can cause damage to the teeth and gums if used incorrectly. If the tray used to whiten the teeth does not fit properly, it is possible for some of the bleach to be swallowed, which can be very dangerous.

How can I get my teeth whitened safely?

By visiting a trained dental professional, such as Bristol dentist Cornelius Krause. It may be tempting to get a cut-price treatment at a beauty salon, but it is never worth risking your health for the sake of saving a few pounds.

In the right hands, tooth whitening is a very safe, highly effective treatment.

For most of the patients we see here at CK Dental in Bristol who are suffering from missing teeth, the one thing that is holding them back from opting for dental implants over dentures, or ‘false teeth’, is the cost.

There is no denying that implants do come at a much higher price point than dentures, but they do also come with several advantages, and could even save you money in the long term. Here are just some of the reasons why implants are the better choice:

Implants are securely bonded to your jaw

That means they won’t slip around and become noticeable, they won’t get stuck in certain foods and they won’t make it difficult for you to talk. In fact, implants look, feel and behave exactly like your natural teeth.

Dentures, on the other hand, can move around within the mouth, causing problems with eating and speaking. In fact, some of the patients we have seen at our Bristol dentist practice have even found that this slippage has caused sores in the mouth, where their dentures have rubbed against the gums.

Implants are permanent

Whilst you do of course need to take care of your dental implants, just as you would your natural teeth, they are a permanent solution to the problem of missing teeth. Dentures, on the other hand, need more daily care than your natural teeth and will eventually need to be replaced.

Implants help to preserve the face

Loss of teeth can be very ageing, not just because of the visible gaps in your smile, but because your jaw can recede as a result, causing your face to sink downwards. Implants help to preserve the gum and bone of the jaw, preventing this recession, whereas dentures can only hide the gaps where your teeth are missing.

We make a big deal of our Invisalign invisible braces system here at CK Dental in Bristol, but it may not be obvious to you, the patient, why Invisalign is preferable to traditional braces for teeth straightening.

With that in mind, we wanted to outline exactly how Invisalign compares to metal braces, weighing up the pros and cons of each system.

Cost

Many people believe that Invisalign is significantly more expensive than traditional teeth straightening devices, but that is not necessarily the case. In fact, depending on the severity of the problem to be treated, in some cases Invisalign can actually be cheaper than braces.

Duration of treatment

Generally, Invisalign patients find that their problem has been resolved within 18 months, although this does of course vary depending on patient needs. Patients wearing metal braces wear them on average for about two years.

Frequency of dentist visits

With traditional brace systems, patients need to return to their dentist to have the braces tightened around once a month. Because this “tightening” is performed at home for Invisalign, we generally advise that patients return to our Bristol dental practice every four to six weeks for a check-up, changing aligner trays at home every two weeks.

Discomfort/inconvenience

Both Invisalign and metal braces will cause patients a small amount of discomfort at some point. With Invisalign this discomfort is mostly associated with the movement of the teeth, whereas with metal braces there may also be some pain from the wires or brackets rubbing against the gums and inner cheeks.

The level of inconvenience perceived to be associated with each teeth straightening system will vary from patient to patient – some people find it an annoyance to have to remove their invisible brace before eating, others find this an advantage as there is no need to limit their diet, as there may be with traditional metal braces.

Overall, the team here at Bristol dentist practice CK Dental has found Invisalign to be an extremely effective system for teeth straightening, with many advantages over traditional devices.

We are entering into a dangerous time of year for teeth – from Halloween to Bonfire Night to Christmas, the shops are full of sugary treats and it can be difficult for the most self-disciplined of us to resist everything. So, what can we do to keep our teeth healthy this winter? And, more specifically, how can we persuade our children to do the same? The team here at CK Dental in Bristol has come up with a few ideas that shouldn’t be too difficult to implement:

Try to offer healthy alternatives

Kids will be desperate for toffee apples on bonfire night, but could you distract them with a healthier option? Making popcorn at home could be a great way to replicate the fun of fireworks whilst also providing a sugar-free snack to enjoy during the display.

Keep drinking water

Whether you are having a bonfire at home or going out to a big public display, try to keep a bottle of water to hand and ensure that you and the children drink from it regularly, particularly if there are sugary snacks on the go. This will help to wash the sugar off your teeth, avoiding too much build-up.

Don’t skip brushing – however late they are to bed

When the kids have been up late watching a firework display, it’s always tempting to miss out the whole bath time routine, just to ensure they get as much sleep as possible. However, skipping tooth brushing is a dangerous precedent to set, especially on a night when they may have enjoyed the odd sugary treat.

Do ensure that you leave it at least half an hour between the last snack and tooth brushing though – if you brush too soon, the enamel on your teeth will still be softened from the sugar and you risk doing more harm than good.

For more tips, or to book an appointment with our Bristol dentist, please contact us.

Dental implants are fast becoming one of the most popular ways to deal with the problem of missing teeth, as they offer a secure, permanent solution without any of the hassle associated with false teeth.

As their popularity rises however, so many people are seeking to cut costs by travelling abroad for the surgery. With low prices and tempting websites promising dental ‘holidays’, many of these clinics seem very attractive, but what is the real price of going overseas for dental implant surgery?

Communication breakdown

It may not sound like much, but the ability to converse freely with your dental surgeon, and to understand everything the team is saying to each other, can be vital to your comfort during dental implant surgery.

Here at CK Dental in Bristol, we aim to make patients feel as comfortable as possible throughout any dental procedure, by talking you through what is happening and answering any questions you may have. Whilst of course any well-respected dentist will do the same, if there is a language barrier you may find your dentist is unable to answer your questions immediately, or that there are conversations going on around – and possibly about – you that you do not understand

Return visits

Aftercare is an important part of any surgical procedure, and it is vital to be able to contact your dental team easily for several weeks post operatively and to be able to go back into the clinic if necessary.

If your operation was performed abroad, this may not be so easy. Time differences and different working hours can make it difficult even to speak on the phone, and a return visit to the clinic could be a very lengthy and costly process. Often this means going to see a different dentist locally to you, who is not fully abreast of your situation.

Talk it through

Whilst traveling abroad might be the right option for you, it is a good idea to talk it through with your own dentist first, to find out what the options are. Here at Bristol dentist practice CK Dental, we are very happy to talk to patients about all the options available when you start to lose your teeth.

The current Rugby World Cup has got a generation of young players excited about playing the great game, but it has also shed light on how important it is to protect them. The British Dental Health Foundation has issued a recommendation that all school-age rugby players should wear mouthguards on the playing field, after a survey revealed that a third of children don’t protect their teeth while playing rugby.

According to Rugby Football Union rules, it is compulsory that all players aged 18+ wear mouth protection, and here at Bristol dentist practice CK Dental we agree with the Dental Health Foundation that children should do the same, to avoid cracking or even losing teeth on the rugby pitch.

Performance mouthwear

At CK Dental in Bristol, we stock the Under Armour range of mouthguards, which have been designed to protect teeth during the most physical of sports. They are custom fitted to ensure your teeth receive the protection they need, and the latest range is microwaveable and remouldable, so that your mouthguard fits perfectly, everyday.

Learn from others

In New Zealand, since it became compulsory for rugby players of all ages to wear mouthguards on the pitch, the nation has seen a 43% reduction in all dental injuries, which just shows the sort of negative impact contact sports like rugby can have on teeth.

Let the professionals be their role model

One complaint that Bristol dentist Cornelius Krause of CK Dental hears a lot from parents is that they don’t believe their child will agree to wear a mouthguard.

If she or he is a big enough rubgy fan, however, this shouldn’t pose an issue – just as they love to wear the same rugby shirt as their favourite player, just show them that player’s mouth and they will see that he too wears a mouthguard every time he plays.

Until this advice is made law, it is up to parents to ensure that their children’s teeth are protected on the rugby pitch. For more advice on this, which could help you avoid expensive dental treatment in future, please contact us to make an appointment.