There are just 8 sleeps till Christmas; the big day is getting closer and closer. Here are 8 tips to look after your teeth over the festive period:
 

1. Brush your teeth twice a day using an electric tooth brush with a 2 minute timer
2. Floss or use inter dental brushes in between your teeth- this is vital
3. Use a flouride mouthwash afterwards-do not rinse with water
4. Limit sugary foods and drinks (sorry!) to mealtimes and reduce the frequency of acid attack on your teeth
5. Limit acidic foods and drinks as much as possible; did you know that hot lemon water has the same acidity as battery acid!
6. Drink alcohol in moderation (sorry again!)
7. For sensitivity, rub some sensitive toothpaste directly on to the tooth and leave overnight. Repeat for at least 7 days.
8. Visit your dentist and hygienist when due- early intervention means less extensive treatment in the long term

If you need to be seen prior to Christmas, please contact us on Monday morning. We will squeeze you in!

In a recent study by UCL, shocking statistics were found on the levels of tooth decay and gum disease on footballers. The article was in The Telegraph. We have certainly seen decay present within the sports industry due to the diet that is often required for energy levels. For instance, energy sports drinks are FULL of sugar. These drinks are often sipped throughout training sessions and therefore there is a high frequency of acid attack on the teeth. We would like to suggest many other ways of maintaining energy levels in a natural way. For example, a banana can provide huge amounts of natural energy. The natural sugars present are far better than added sugar within products. 

If there are any football clubs that would like to screen their players, feel free to give us a call. We have the highest levels of technology to detect the earliest of tooth decay or gum disease - early intervention and prevention is always best!

Jamie Olivier is on a crusade to reduce the sugar intake in the UK and quite rightly so! There were shocking images of children having all of their teeth extracted because of tooth decay solely due to sugar intake. This is unacceptable and should not be the case in the day and age we live in. Sugary drinks are one of the main causes, with up to 4 large tablespoons of added sugar in some well know drinks. Yes, that's right, 4 tablespoons! We are happy to provide education to all to reduce sugar consumption, eat well and adopt sound prevention regimes to prevent tooth decay. Simply call us- families, schools, sports clubs, community centres.... all are welcome.

Our dental tip of the day involves prevention, in particular reversing early decay. Did you know that in many cases dental decay starts from in between the teeth called the interdental area? If left untreated, these lesions will gradually progress and become closer to the nerve leaving you at risk of the dreaded root canal treatment. Our tip is simple - prevention is better than cure. Ensure your oral hygiene is excellent, clean properly in between the teeth using dental floss and brushes. We can also prescribe higher fluoride toothpastes to aid reversal and remineralisation of the decay. 

At Progressive Dentistry, we use state of the art digital radiography to spot early decay. Once seen, we will advise you on how to reverse the decay and monitor the areas for peace of mind. Remember - prevention is better than cure!