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.”

“I got a new bridge two months ago at another practice. Two weeks after the bridge was fitted, I cleaned under the bridge using superfloss. There was a horrible smell.  I have been cleaning the area three times a day, but it remains the same. What can I do?”

Dr Sunita Verma says:  

Firstly, I think it would be a good idea to have your bridge checked to ensure that the bridge is fitting well. When a bridge is first fitted, you need to get into a good oral hygiene routine straight away.

At Sparkle Dental Boutique, I routinely encourage my patients to see our hygienist, particularly if they have had restorations fitted including a bridge, crown or porcelain veneers.  

After eating and before you go to bed, you need to brush your teeth and gums with a soft brush, especially where the bridge meets the gum line (margin). At the margin, harmful bacteria can gather to cause tooth decay and gum disease. You also need to floss at least once a day using superfloss. This will help to remove plaque under and around these areas to maintain good oral hygiene. With a bridge you must clean under as well as around the bridge to prevent food debris and plaque gathering and the area becoming infected.

My advice would be for you to see a dentist so that they can check your bridge and also check whether you have an infection under the bridge. I would also advise you to see a hygienist for professional cleaning so that any build up around your bridge and teeth can be removed. The hygienist can also show you you how to look after your bridge and maintain good oral health.

Sunita Verma, Principal from Sparkle Dental Boutique says “When our patients have periodontal (gum) disease, we use dentomycin in conjunction with root planning and scaling treatments, which lead to a marked reduction in bacteria in patients mouths. It has a positive anti-inflammatory action which allows the connective tissues to reattach back to the tooth.” 

Dentomycin is a periodontal gel that effectively reduces pocket depths and bacteria levels while actively promoting periodontal healing. The gel contains an antibiotic well known for its ability to eliminate key periodontal pathogens. 

The Dentomycin gel is delivered directly into the periodontal pocket. It binds to the tooth surface and is released slowly, attacking the bacteria. Clinical studies show that dentomycin treatment reduces the bacteria that cause periodontitis and reduces the depth of treated pockets. These changes indicate an improvement in gum health.

Mothering Sunday is a time when children, no matter what age, pay respect to their Mothers.

Children often give their Mothers a gift normally flowers and a card, as a way of saying thank you for all their care and love throughout the year.

What better way to say thank you to your mum by treating them to the gift of a sparkling white smile.  A teeth whitening procedure using Zoom 2! Teeth Whitening, can give you a brighter, whiter smile in an hour…she’ll love you for it!

When you think of the word stylist, you normally think of a person who creates a look for someone using clothing and accessories, in order to make a statement.  But have you ever thought about your dentist as your personal stylist,ensuring your smile suits your unique style?

Sunita Verma, Principal at Sparkle Dental Boutique says “To style a smile takes a keen eye, and a real interest in understanding your facial features. All faces differ with differing facial symmetry, such as the size of nose or lip width and we need to look at this very carefully before changing your smile, so that your new smile fits with your other facial features.”

“To me styling a smile involves working closely with a patient to gain their trust and confidence. Sometimes they may be celebrities, or may be high fliers in the world of business, but most are ordinary people knowing that their smile needs an overhaul.”

“We do this by meticulously planning each smile transformation. We start by taking photographs of your smile and impressions of your teeth which we use to make a 3d wax up model. This model shows you how your teeth will look like, before actual treatment begins.  We then prepare a smile design prescription or detailed instructions for our master ceramist, another stylist, so that he can make the porcelain veneers or crowns to order. All this careful planning allows us to give you a cosmetically pleasing, stylish smile that will last for many years to come.”

NOW stands for National Orthodontic Week and the first NOW will be celebrated during the week of 22 - 28 March 2010. Orthodontics is a special kind of dentistry concerned with the growth of the teeth, jaws and face. 

Nearly one million people of all ages started having orthodontic treatment last year in the UK.  Orthodontic treatment is about making the best of your teeth; it’s about improving the harmony of your mouth and jaws. Once you can bite together correctly, you can eat more comfortably and care for your teeth and gums more easily.  Orthodontics is all about creating a natural, healthy smile.   

Braces work to create a stunning smile. They can improve dental health and function. Overcrowded or crooked teeth are harder to brush and floss, and improper cleaning can lead to tooth decay and gum problems. Orthodontic treatment can also correct bite problems. If left untreated, bite problems can cause teeth to wear down or cause difficulty in chewing.

During NOW, Sparkle Dental Boutique will be will be organising a series of events and special offers to celebrate orthodontics, so do check back on our website at www.sparkledental.co.uk for more details.

I promise to  

• Thoroughly brush my teeth twice daily.

• Use an antibacterial mouthwash to control plaque and prevent gum disease.

• Reduce the amount of sugary things I eat, particularly chocolate!

• Use floss once a day to remove plaque from between my teeth.

• Make an appointment at least once a year to see my dentist.

• Finally, get over my embarrassment about my teeth and make an appointment to get a perfect smile.

• Kick my smoking habit for good and then get my teeth whitened.

• Visit my hygienist twice a year so that she can help me look after my teeth and gums.

• Transform my very crooked teeth by wearing braces.  

• Eat more fruits and vegetables each day.

and the thought of you under it that sets

my heart a glow.

Or it could be the thought of holding you

amidst the falling snow.

Holding hands and laughing like children,

tasting the candy cane on our lips.

Sweet as grandma’s pumpkin pie

it can get no better than this,

sharing our hearts in love

this holiday

lost in a christmas kiss.

Scott Allen Waters

Smile Quotes

• Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. - Mark Twain

• And through the tears, we’ll smile when we recall, we had it all for just a moment. - St. Elmo’s Fire

• No smile is as beautiful as the one that struggles through the tears. Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened. - Sarah Ackerman

• You should never frown. Even when you’re sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile.

• A smile is a light in the window of the soul, indicating that the heart is at home.

• Smile, it’s the second best thing one can do with one’s lips.

• Brighten the world with your smile.

• A smile costs nothing, but gives much.

• A smile is a little curve that sets a lot of things straight.

• Smiles are free: don’t save them.

• Smile, it makes people wonder what you’ve been up to.

• What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. - Joseph Addison

• A smile can open a heart faster than a key can open a door.

• Smiling makes you feel better about yourself, even if you don’t feel like it. - Lauraine Snelling

• Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.