While people of all ages return to classrooms this September, data gathered from an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) survey reflects just how important a smile is in a person’s path towards a successful career. A national consumer survey revealed that 74% of adult Americans feel an unattractive smile can damage a person’s chances for career success. Even more startling, according to the survey, only 50% of U.S. adults are satisfied with the appearance of their smile.  

“People of all ages can benefit from cosmetic dentistry,” says Dr Sunita Verma from Sparkle Dental Boutique. “If a person’s teeth are discoloured or chipped, having your smile enhanced by cosmetic dentistry can help you overcome insecurities which leads to increased self-esteem and self-confidence. In many cases, newly found confidence that results from a new smile leads to a person improving themselves, their career and overall quality of life.”

The X Factor judge and pop star was strides ahead of the other WAGS with her beaming smile winning her more than 70 percent of the votes. The survey conducted for National Smile Month by the British Dental Health Foundation and power toothbrush maker Oral B asked more than 1000 people to vote for the WAG with the best smile and the one with the worst. 

LA based Victoria Beckham’s pout proved to be the least popular of the WAGs followed by new mum Colleen Rooney.

Previous consumer studies have proved that a beautiful smile will make you more attractive. But according to research conducted by Beall Research & Training of Chicago, a new smile will make you appear more intelligent, interesting, successful and wealthy to others as well. 

Dr. Anne Beall, a social psychologist and market research professional carried out the independent study on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Pictures of eight individuals were shown to 528 Americans, a statistically valid cross section of the population. The respondents were asked to quickly judge the eight people as to how attractive, intelligent, happy, successful in their career, friendly, interesting, kind, wealthy, popular with the opposite sex and sensitive to other people they were. 

Two sets of photos were created, with each set showing four individuals before undergoing cosmetic dentistry and four after treatment. Half the respondents viewed set A, the other half set B. The eight subjects viewed by respondents were evenly divided by gender. Two had mild improvements through cosmetic dentistry, two had moderate improvements and four had major improvements to their smiles, to give a wide range for respondents to view. None, however, had visibly rotten teeth, missing teeth or catastrophically bad dental health in the before shots.

Respondents were not told that they were looking at dentistry, but were asked to make snap judgments rating each person for the ten characteristics, on a scale of one to ten, with “one” being “not at all,” and “ten” being “extremely.” The results indicated that an attractive smile does have broad ranging benefits: 

Characteristic              Average “Before” rating    Average “After” rating     Increase 

Attractive                                  4.5                            5.9                         1.3

Intelligent                                  5.9                            6.5                           .6

Happy                                      6.2                            6.8                           .4

Successful in their career          5.8                            6.7                            .9

Friendly                                   6.3                            6.8                            .5

Interesting                               5.4                            6.1                            .7

Kind                                       6.0                            6.4                            .4

Wealthy                                 4.9                             5.9                           1.0

Popular with topposite sex       5.0                             6.2                           1.2

Sensitive to other people          5.6                             6.1                             .5 

While the change was most dramatic for the characteristics of “attractive”, “popular with the opposite sex”, “wealthy” and “successful in their career”, the change was statically significant in all areas. 

Dr Sunita Verma, Principal from Sparkle Dental Boutique says “Based on a lot of interaction with our patients, I am not surprised to see the results of this research. Our patients tell us that they have felt huge benefits from having cosmetic dentistry with us from feeling more confident and attractive to being able to strive for new possibilities whether it be in a new job or a new relationship. Investing in a beautiful smile is certianly a worthwhile investment.”  

In a recent article reported In Preventative Dentistry, Britons are more interested in the colour of their teeth than real health issues such as cavities and receding gums.  

A study by Mintel found that more than four in 10 Britons are concerned about the colour of their teeth, while only a quarter are interested in actual health.  

Sunita Verma, Principal from Sparkle Dental Boutique says `It’s a worry to read that people are more concerned about the colour of their teeth than real health issues such as cavities and gum disease and that as many people are associating a tan with good health, as they are associating white teeth with good oral hygiene, which is not the case.”

“When patients come to visit me, I carry out a thorough examination and make sure patients are aware of any dental health concerns. You only have one set of teeth as adults and its is so important to look after them.”    

In the UK diabetes diagnosis has increased from 1.4 million in 1996, to 2.5 million in 2008. By 2025 there are predicted to be more than four million people with diabetes in the UK. It is also estimated that there are around half a million people currently living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes in the UK.  

Research suggests that the management of periodontal disease can affect the gums and other supporting tissue around the teeth.  It can also help to reduce the risk of a person developing diabetes and can also help those with diabetes control their blood sugar levels.  

Sunita Verma, Principal at Sparkle Dental Boutique says “Establishing a routine periodontal programme is one way to help keep diabetes under control.  We take extra care with patients who have diabetes. Periodontal disease triggers the body’s inflammatory responses, which can affect insulin sensitivity and ultimately lead to unhealthy blood sugar levels. We therefore look for symptoms of periodontal disease such as swollen or red gums, or bleeding during tooth brushing and take the time to educate patients about the risk factors of diabetes.”

TV Presenter Kelly Osbourne has revealed her dental phobia on her Twitter page. 

The daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne tweeted “I have to go get my fillings today and the fear is really kicking in. I need to get over this fear of the dentist but I can’t”.   

Kelly is not alone in her phobia, as other celebrities such as Robert De Niro are known to be frightened of the dental chair.

A recent survey conducted by the British Dental Health Foundation discovered that one of four people do not visit a dentist due to dental phobia.  

Sunita Verma from Sparkle Dental Boutique says “Many people are still frightened of seeing a dentist and this is such a great shame as dental practices have changed enormously. The great news is that at Sparkle Dental Boutique there are many dental distractions within the practice which make your dental visit easy, comfortable and relaxed. Our aim is to make your dental check up a routine part of your daily life.”  

Source: Dental Tribune 7 June  

More than 5% of the UK’s working population have already turned to cosmetic surgery in a bid to boost their career prospects.  

And according to a new survey 1 in 10 people would resort to surgery to get ahead in the workplace.  These statistics are part of new research seeking to discover the true extent of the use of cosmetic surgery and procedures by professional people looking to enhance their career,  carried out by MyFaceMyBody, the chat show dedicated to cosmetic surgery.  

The survey found that  

• Nearly two thirds of women believe appearance and youthful looks play a part in getting hired, gaining promotion or getting new clients.

• More than one in ten said that they would consider having a cosmetic procedure to make them more competitive in the job market.

• Nearly three quarters of consumers would consider having a non surgical treatment such as teeth whitening.

When consumers were asked what they would prefer to improve the most about themselves to boost their career prospects, nearly a third would improve their facial features and one quarter said that they would improve their teeth.

Source: Dentistry Magazine June 2010

Eating yoghurt regularly could slash a child’s risk of developing tooth decay, according to new research.

Consuming the dairy product at least four times a week reduced the chances of three-year-olds developing cavities by 22 per cent, compared to those who ate it less than once a week.The findings, published in the Journal of Dentistry, came from a Japanese study which was investigating earlier claims that dairy foods generally could ward off dental decay in children.

But while butter, cheese and milk appeared to have no major benefit, high consumption of yoghurt did have a protective effect in young children.It’s not clear why yoghurt reduces the need for fillings.

But one theory is that it contains proteins that ‘bind’ to the surface of teeth and seals them against attack from harmful acids.This seal means the calcium and phosphate which makes up tooth enamel is not broken down over time.The research, by experts at Fukuoka University and the University of Tokyo, supports earlier work by Australian scientists who exposed extracted teeth to yoghurt and found it kept decay at bay.

Fears over children’s dental health in the UK were raised last year when figures revealed a steep rise in the number of children being admitted to hospital for emergency dental work due to tooth decay. Nearly 30,000 children a year in England need hospital treatment, many to have rotten teeth pulled. Children from poorer areas are twice as likely to need treatment as those from affluent families.

In the latest study, Japanese researchers looked at more than 2,000 children aged three and quizzed parents on their eating habits. Each child also had a dental check to assess the state of their teeth. The results showed a clear link with yoghurt but not with other popular dairy produce.

In a report on their findings the researchers said: ‘High consumption of yoghurt may be associated with a lower prevalence of dental cavities in young children.’ But British Dental Health Foundation chief executive Dr Nigel Carter warned: ‘It should be remembered that many yoghurts in the UK contain added sugar and it is well established that increasing the frequency of sugar containing foods and drinks leads to an increase in dental decay.

‘Yoghurts are also quite thick and will tend to coat the teeth for longer which can also lead to problems. If parents wish to increase their children’s yoghurt intake it is therefore important that this be confined to meal times.’ 

Source: Daily Mail

Before treatment: Gaps between teeth

After treatment: Gaps closed using composite bonding

Have you ever wanted to improve your smile…but were anxious about having extensive dental treatment? 

Well with our one visit smile makeover, remarkable improvements can be made in one appointment…and the great news is that it is as simple as having a filling! 

If your teeth are worn with jaggedy edges or are chipped, perhaps you have always had gaps between your teeth, then the one visit smile makeover is the ideal way to improve the aesthetics of your smile. 

Dr Sunita Verma from Sparkle Dental Boutique says, “We can make dramatic changes to the way people look and feel about their smiles in one very easy visit.”

“Take the above case for example, the patient was very conscious of a gap between her teeth that she felt was really visible. Within a space of an hour we were able to close the gap using tooth coloured resins and blending them to match the exact colour of the patients natural teeth. Something that had bothered the patient for many years, was now a distant memory.”

The British Dental Health Foundation, the oral health charity is advising men to brush their teeth regularly, after a study found that infertile men are more likely to suffer from gum disease.  A study of 56 men aged between 23 and 52 by the Bikur Hospital, Jerusalem and the Hebrew University Hadassah School of Medicine found that more than half the men with low sperm counts or no sperm at all, suffered from developed gum disease.  

Sunita says “Brushing your teeth twice a day is absolutely essential, to ensure not only an attractive smile, with healthy teeth and gums, but also better general health.“