Did you know the law has changed very recently  enabling you to maintain your teeth without seeing a dentist which saves you TIME and MONEY.

You can now see a hygienist without first needing an appointment with, or a referral from, a dentist. 

At The Courtyard Clinic  our  fantastic dental hygienist, Esti, is ready to see patients for direct access. 

She will clean and polish your teeth and help make sure your mouth is in excellent,  sparkling health. 

Dietary advice will also be given and you will be shown which toothbrush is right for YOU. 

We have a whole range of interdental brushes and toothpastes available to make sure you are comfortable with your new routine. Any concerns or areas of the mouth that do not respond to treatment can then be referred to one of or dentists.

Ethan got his teeth straightened with Damon braces in less than 11months

We are pleased to show you a short 7 minute program made by ITV London Life about the Somnowell appliance.

The Somnowell appliance is a popular appliance with our patients.

It works by gently bringing the jaw forward which opens the airway and so stops the snoring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myQPg5YYihM&feature=youtu.be

The British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association has also released the results from a recent survey they carried out.

http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/nation_wakes_up.php

The Somnowell appliance has also appeared on ITV This Morning this week in Dr Chris Steele’s Health Alert.

The Courtyard Clinic offers a free initial consultation to anyone who is concerned about their (or their partner’s!) snoring.

Call Alison on 01932 582949

No.

When carbamide peroxide, the active whitening agent, contacts water, hydrogen peroxide is released which whitens the teeth. Bleaching does not soften, demineralize or weaken the teeth.

Do Over-the-Counter Bleaching Products Work?
There is some evidence that over-the-counter bleaching products do whiten teeth, however, many of the products are too abrasive and can damage the teeth with extended use or misuse.

Supervision by your dentist is always the safest and most effective way to whiten your teeth.

The Courtyard Clinic often have special offers running so look for the whitening offers or call Alison on 01932 582949.

The following dental-care tips, recommended by many leading dentists, will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy and avoid tooth loss:

Get regular exercise — Just as exercise helps you stay healthy in other ways, regular exercise also may lower your risk of gum disease.

Brush with power — Use a high-quality electric toothbrush with a small head. Electric brushes clean your teeth more thoroughly than regular toothbrushes and are optimized to remove plaque.

Practice deep cleaning — Use floss for more efficient cleaning between teeth and along the gum line. If your gums recede, which often happens as people age, try using interproximal brushes. These brushes look like small pipe cleaners and may work better than floss to remove plaque from partially exposed roots.

Brush at the right time — Wait 30 minutes to an hour after eating before you brush. It takes that long for saliva to neutralize the acids in food. Brushing right after you eat can wear away essential tooth enamel.

Drink tap water — Many brands of bottled water do not contain fluoride, a powerful cavity-prevention chemical that is added to public drinking water. Rather than drink bottled water, consider filtering your tap water, which will remove impurities and harmful chemicals but leave the fluoride.

Stay moist — Saliva removes microbes from your teeth and gums. If you suffer from dry mouth, ask your dentist to prescribe a special rinse than can help.

Get regular checkups — Schedule regular appointments with your dentist for routine dental care, such as teeth cleaning and examinations to check for early signs of tooth decay and gum disease.

Dear Alison

I have just looked back at the initial photo’s Yasmin took of my teeth! What a difference, excellent results in a shorter time than I’d expected. Yasmin was always so professional, and explained everything to me which instilled confidence. Alison you were always so welcoming and efficient at arranging and changing all of my appointments, thank you!
I would definitely recommend The Courtyard Clinic to others.

Kind regards
KT

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends placing dental sealants on the first permanent molars (at around 6 years of age) and the second permanent molars (which come in around 12 years of age).

Why? –Well, basically there are a lot of studies that say placing sealants helps reduce the incidence of cavities. Does it mean you will never get cavities?–no, it still can happen, but sealants can reduce the kind of cavities that form in the pits and grooves of the back teeth, you know on the top of the tooth–you still can get them in between the teeth and on the smooth surfaces.

How long do they last?–Even with a well placed sealant, dentists do see cavities form in areas previously sealed. Sometimes the sealant wears off (chewing ice for instance), or sometimes just because someone is very prone to cavities. They say they last from 5 to 7 years if you take care of them–even adults can get sealants, but they seem to be most effective in the cavity prone years of youth. What is the material? It is the same material as used in white fillings without as much filler/reinforcing material, it’s a bis-GMA resin, With less filler the sealant can flow into the grooves better. Sometimes we use “flowable” composite which is kind of in between in it’s characteristics.

How are they placed?
Does it hurt?–We like to say it’s like painting fingernails–it is just painted on the tooth–now that can be harder than you think as these teeth are in the back of the mouth. Most of the effort is keeping the area dry.

Do you put them on baby teeth?–you can, but generally no. The enamel in baby teeth is different microscopically, they don’t seem to stay as well, but sometimes if there is lots of grooves there, so there may be a benefit to placing them. Another thing to think about is that in preschoolers, placing a sealant is just about as difficult as a small filling because little kids, well it’s harder to place the sealants. It is often better to simply have regular checkups to catch things early. Also,many cavities in baby teeth are in between the teeth which sealants do not prevent.