Why is preventative dentistry important for kids?

When it comes to your child’s dental health, it’s important to take a proactive approach. At Smilecraft, we believe in the power of preventative dentistry for kids Stevenage. By taking care of your child’s teeth and gums early on, you can help them avoid serious dental problems down the road and ensure they have a healthy smile for life.

Preventative dentistry is all about catching and treating dental problems before they become major issues. This can save your child from a lot of pain and discomfort, as well as save you money on costly dental treatments in the future. Regular dental check-ups are crucial for catching any dental problems early on, we recommend bringing your child in for a check-up every six months. This allows us to monitor the development of their teeth and address any issues as early as possible. Dental cleanings are also important, during a cleaning our dental team will remove any plaque and tartar build-up on your child’s teeth, this helps to prevent cavities and gum disease, keeping their teeth and gums healthy.

Dental sealants are thin coatings that are applied to the chewing surfaces of your child’s molars, they help to protect the teeth from decay, which is particularly important for children who are more prone to cavities. Fluoride treatments strengthen your child’s tooth enamel, making it more resistant to decay, and providing an extra layer of protection for their teeth.

How can you care for your child’s teeth and gums at home?

Teaching your child healthy oral hygiene habits, such as brushing and flossing, is essential for maintaining good oral health. Here are some tips for helping your child care for their teeth and gums at home.

Set a routine

Establish a consistent oral hygiene routine for your child, such as brushing and flossing twice a day. This will help them develop good habits and make oral hygiene a part of their daily routine.

Use the right tools

Make sure your child is using the appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste for their age and developmental stage. This will ensure they are getting the best possible clean and that the toothpaste is safe for them to use.

Lead by example

Children often mimic the behaviours of their parents, so it’s important to practise good oral hygiene habits yourself. This will make it more likely that your child will adopt these habits as well.

Limit sugary foods

Excessive sugar intake can lead to tooth decay, so it’s important to limit your child’s intake of sugary snacks and drinks. Encourage them to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, which can help to protect their teeth and gums.

How can Smilecraft help your child’s dental health

At Smilecraft, we’re committed to preventative dentistry for kids Stevenage and providing our patients with the highest-quality dental care. Our team of experienced dental professionals can help you and your child maintain good oral health through preventative dentistry services. We offer regular check-ups, cleanings, and fluoride treatments to help keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy. We also offer dental sealants and other preventative treatments as needed. We understand that visiting the dentist can be nerve-racking for children, so we make sure to create a welcoming and relaxed environment for them, to make their experience as positive as possible.

If you have any questions about preventative dentistry for kids Stevenage or would like to schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team is dedicated to helping all patients.

Giving you the benefits of smile makeovers

We all like to think we have the ability to look our best whenever we wish, as we are social creatures who like dressing up when we decide to go out of our homes to interact and meet other people. This leads many of us to pay particular attention to the image we project and this may mean we spend some time picking out the perfect clothes, making sure our hair looks clean and tidy, and for some, make-up will also be a big consideration.

One area that a lot of us pay particular attention to is our teeth, as many of us wish to have healthy looking teeth to make our smiles look appealing to others around us. We use our mouths every day of our lives to communicate in both verbal and non-verbal ways. Our smiles are often seen as a powerful way to communicate happiness to others and are heavily associated with the formation of lasting and meaningful relationships.

Many of us strive to find ways that we can gain and maintain white teeth, commonly we use toothpastes that hold some promise of being able to help whiten our teeth, but often the results vary and we may decide to seek a professional method to gain the pearly straight teeth we are looking for.

At Smilecraft we have been helping patients to gain the smile image they are looking for by offering them smile makeovers which allow them to gain the enhanced appearance that they desire. We provide patients with the latest in dental technology and techniques.

A variety of treatments

Smile makeovers are made up of bringing the best practices of several treatments together, commonly including alignment treatment, tooth whitening, and facial aesthetics in the form of lip fillers. Bringing these treatments together allows us to look at your smile in a holistic way, and means we can help to address all the issues you feel you have with your teeth to create the look that you want.

If you are an adult who has misaligned teeth this will be the first condition that we will address, but do not worry that we are necessarily about to make you wear traditional braces on your teeth. It may well be that modern alignment treatments would be more appropriate if you have a mild to moderate misalignment and they are much more discreet. In many cases where adults would benefit from tooth alignment treatment, we would normally recommend a treatment such as Invisalign as it has the ability to hide in plain sight.

If you require tooth whitening, but feel that your life is far too busy to fit in several appointments at our dental practice, then we may recommend at-home treatment for you. You will be provided with a mouth tray and some whitening gel that you apply to the tray before placing it in your mouth, this allows you to take full control and select a time of day that suits you for receiving treatment.

Finally, we may look at reshaping your lips with the use of an injectable cosmetic treatment in the form of a lip filler, this will help to plump out your lips and give them an appealing shape.

To find out more details

If you wish to find out more details about the smile makeovers that we offer, please feel free to contact our dental practice to gain all the information you may require. After all, there is no longer any need for you to live with a smile you are not totally happy with.

Ho, ho, ho! It’s time to wish yourself a ‘Merry Christmas’ with a trip to Smilecraft!

The weather outside might be frightful, but inside our practice it’s really delightful! We have a wide range of treatments that can transform your smile and give you the merry Christmas you deserve this year. With general dentistry treatments, preventive care, cosmetic dentistry and restorative treatments, you won’t need to visit another dental practice, once you’ve come to see us at Smilecraft. We have been established for over 25 years and there’s nothing we love more than ensuring that our patients have healthy, happy smiles and are completely comfortable in coming to see us, whenever they need to. We pride ourselves on delivering the treatment that we would want for ourselves and our families, putting you at the forefront of all that we do. We are experienced and well trained to look after nervous patients, and we use gentle methods to ensure that your treatment is always as comfortable as possible. To make your merry Christmas that little bit merrier, you could opt for a treatment that changes your smile into a merry Christmas cracker with dental implants.

What are dental implants used for?

If you have missing teeth, dental implants offer a solution to replace them. Your tooth consists of the visible part that you can see, as well as the root, which is connected to your jawbone. When you lose a tooth, replacement teeth such as crowns, bridges or dentures cannot be attached to the jawbone to hold them firmly in place. However, with dental implants, these are tiny screws that are firmly fixed to the jaw and the replacement teeth can be attached to them. The result is that you have replacement teeth that don’t need to be removed and they shouldn’t loosen at all, regardless of what you eat.

The good list

If you’ve been good this year, then you deserve a Christmas treat and what more could you ask for than all the good things that dental implants can offer? Firstly, when you have dental implants, nobody else should realise that you don’t have a full set of natural teeth. Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth, a number of teeth, or a whole set. They are really easy to maintain and could last you a lifetime, as long as you brush, floss, and visit us for your routine dental check-ups. Another benefit of dental implants is that alongside having a beautiful smile, you will also have a healthy one. By filling in the missing teeth, you protect the gums and any remaining teeth you have from bacteria. You could also improve your clarity of speech, and your ability to chew food – that’s definitely one for the festive cheer! And, Santa could have put a little something extra in your stocking this year! If you do opt for dental implants with us at Smilecraft, they could make you look visibly younger. Sometimes, having missing teeth can age your face, but by filling the gaps in your smile, your face can look younger as it gets more structure in it again.

Meet and greet

If you would like to make your Christmas wish come true for your smile, come and see us for a comprehensive consultation. We will take plenty of time to examine you for 40 minutes, carrying out the necessary health checks and taking X-rays if required, discussing your concerns about your smile. We will then follow up with a Zoom call and agree upon a treatment plan for you. Our team are friendly and passionate about delivering excellent care and whatever treatment you require, we look forward to treating you to some festive cheer this year.

Is your dental hygiene where it needs to be?

Oral hygiene is still a major problem in the UK. Thousands and thousands of people are still neglecting the health of their teeth and gums through poor oral hygiene. Why is this? We at Smilecraft think that this is in part due to the nature of our busy lives, but also in part because people think they’re invincible and that things just won’t happen to them. However, we see more and more people coming to us with disastrous decay and gory gums and it’s clear the problem isn’t getting better, it’s probably getting worse. So, why is dental hygiene Stevenage on the decline? And what can we be doing about it?

Oral hygiene

Before we go much further it’s probably worth us breaking down what in fact we’re referring to when we talk about oral hygiene.

Oral hygiene or dental hygiene Stevenage is the way in which you take care of your teeth and gums, brushing, flossing etc. Your oral hygiene works pretty much the same as your personal hygiene in that, if neglected, dirt builds up with unwanted bacteria and then all sorts of problems start to appear, infections can happen and other unpleasant things..

The consequences

When we don’t take care of our dental hygiene Stevenage there are a couple of really common side effects which can develop, gum disease and tooth decay. Neither of these are desirable and both can lead to the loss of teeth if they’re left to run riot in your mouth.

Here’s a fun fact we bet you didn’t know. Most people think that losing teeth is just a part of old age, but guess what… it isn’t! There’s actually no biological reason for us to lose our teeth as we get older and so actually if you take care of your teeth now, you could be one of the lucky ones still flashing a full natural set well in their 80s!!

Keep it clean

We can imagine you are well aware of the basics by now… brush twice daily, use dental floss and avoid sugar where you can, and if you aren’t aware then maybe it’s time to look up some best practices in oral care!

There are bonus points you can earn in caring for your oral hygiene if you decide to take advantage of our hygienist facilities.

At first it may seem the hygienist can feel like an expense, but they’re amazing at getting your teeth and gums back to good health. Only a hygienist can give you the deep scale and polish needed to reset your dental hygiene and put you in a place to really build from.

Moving forward

You only get one set of teeth, or you only get one set of adult teeth! Your smile is going to be with you for your whole life, but only if you take care of it. It doesn’t take a great deal to really guarantee some good health for your teeth so why wait, start getting your smile super healthy today.

A bright natural smile with white fillings in Stevenage and more

Everyone wants a great smile. It helps people to look younger and more attractive, and results in much higher levels of self-confidence. Here at Smilecraft, we work with our patients to offer solutions that help them to get the smile that they deserve. The options include white fillings in Stevenage, teeth whitening and veneers. Here, we explain how each of these treatments can help.

White fillings

It used to be that metal fillings were the only option for patients who needed this kind of treatment. Though they are effective, they often cause the patient to feel self-conscious about others noticing metal in their mouths. They do not look at all natural and can be quite obvious when a person is laughing or even just talking.

White fillings in Stevenage are the solution to these issues. They can be tailored to the patient so that they match their natural teeth perfectly. This means that the fillings will seamlessly blend in with the teeth, so that there is no evidence of them at all and the teeth look completely natural.

Old metal fillings can easily be taken out and replaced with white ones, helping to restore the patient’s teeth to their former glory. The material that is used for these new fillings is very robust and can withstand many years of use. White fillings in Stevenage are a quick and convenient way to improve the smile as it can be completed within just one appointment with us.

Teeth whitening

Many people find that as the years pass, their teeth lose their bright white sparkle and become dulled, yellowed and sometimes stained. Fortunately, we can help bring the smile back to its youthful best with our professional whitening service.

It is an easy and straightforward process. The patient visits us to have impressions taken of their teeth. This allows us to create trays that fit their teeth perfectly. We issue the trays alongside a whitening gel. The patient applies the gel to the trays and wears them during sleep for a couple of weeks.

This treatment is completely painless, and the trays are very comfortable because they are custom made to fit the patient exactly. It usually involves merely one or two appointments to get a smile that rivals that of any Hollywood celebrity.

Veneers

Sometimes the colour of the teeth and staining is not the only issue that the patient needs resolved to get a natural bright great looking smile. When they also have chips, cracks and other damage to the teeth, veneers can offer a means of correcting a combination of issues with just one treatment.

Veneers are very thin shell-like structures that are applied to the teeth as a type of covering. They can conceal a multitude of flaws to give the patient a smile that they feel great about. Some patients even choose veneers as an alternative to some types of orthodontic treatment.

The results with veneer treatment are instant, and it is usually complete in only one or two appointments. This makes it a convenient option for many patients.

The importance of mouth cancer screening and the early detection of mouth cancer

Mouth cancer is a major health issue in many parts of the world. Mouth cancer is increasing and despite advances in medicine, death rates are still high, therefore it is important that regular mouth cancer screening is carried out to help control this devastating disease. Here at Smilecraft we offer mouth cancer screening Stevenage. We recommend that you undergo mouth cancer screening Stevenage once a year to make sure that your mouth is healthy and that there are no underlying issues which may be affecting the health of your mouth, teeth or gums or your overall health in general.

Risk factors and how to prevent them

There are two main causes of mouth cancer. Firstly, mouth cancer seems to occur as a result of a range of lifestyle choices including smoking, chewing tobacco, and drinking alcohol above recommended levels. 75% of mouth cancers are caused in this way. The remaining cases occur as a result of exposure to the human papillomavirus or HPV. over the last few decades there has been an increase in mouth cancer in young people and especially females.

If you cut down on alcohol and stop smoking then this can help reduce your chances of developing mouth cancer. Practising safe sex helps reduce chances of infection by HPV and this can also help prevent the development of mouth cancer. Speak to us at Smilecraft privately and confidentially to find out more about mouth cancer screening Stevenage.

The importance of early diagnosis

The stage at which mouth cancer is detected has a significant effect on overall survival. If it is detected at stage 1 then there is a 90% 2 year survival rate. Unfortunately nearly two thirds of mouth cancers are diagnosed at stage 3 or 4. By this time the cancer has most likely spread and only 45% of people survive for at least two years with high treatment-related morbidity amongst those who do. Delays in diagnosis of mouth cancer is the main cause of patients having more advanced stages of the disease. There are different signs and symptoms to look out for with mouth cancer, a red or white patch, ulcer or lump in the mouth that wasn’t there before is an early sign. These symptoms last for more than a few weeks. If you notice such symptoms then it is important that you speak to us at Smilecraft and enquire about mouth cancer screening Stevenage immediately. We have specialist training to detect early signs of mouth cancer. We can examine your mouth thoroughly and are able to see the parts of your mouth which you are not able to examine yourself. If mouth cancer can be diagnosed early then it can be treated quickly and successfully.

Book an appointment for mouth cancer screening here at Smilecraft in Stevenage and let us carry out a comprehensive examination of your mouth to make sure that you have good oral health, and that there are no underlying concerns so that you can enjoy peace of mind and continue to look after your mouth with a healthy lifestyle and stay safe from such disease.

Six Month Smiles in Stevenage

Here at Smilecraft, we understand that a person’s smile has a significant impact on their confidence and we offer a variety of means to ensure that it is the best it can be. One of those options is Six Month Smiles Stevenage. We appreciate that deciding to get treatment for improving the teeth is a big decision. As a result of this, we have created a guide for all our patients considering Six Month Smiles Stevenage. Here, we explain what the treatment is and what it involves, as well as explore why so many patients choose this method.

What is a Six Month Smile?

Six Month Smiles in Stevenage are one of our most popular choices for patients who want to get straight teeth. The treatment is a type of braces that is composed of brackets and wires which are employed to correct the position of the lower and upper teeth at the front of the mouth. As the name implies, this treatment is usually completed in around 6 months.

Are these the same as traditional braces?

Traditional braces are made up of metal wires that are fitted across the front of the teeth and kept in place using metal brackets. The braces used for Six Month Smiles differ in that they feature wires that are a similar colour to the patient’s teeth. These wires are secured using brackets that are transparent.

The combination of the more natural colour of the wires and the clear brackets mean that the appearance of these braces is much more subtle than traditional braces. Though they are not invisible, they are a less obvious form of treatment, which makes them a good choice for those who feel self-conscious about the idea of wearing metal braces.

Do they really take just six months?

In many cases, yes! It is important to bear in mind that every patient is different, so there are some variations in the amount of time it takes to complete treatment with these braces. Some patients can have the look they want in as little as four months, while others may need to wear the braces for nine months to get their teeth moved into the ideal position.

Any patient who is considering this treatment should talk to us about their expectations regarding the amount of time it will take. We are happy to explain how it all works and answer any questions so that there are no surprises.

Is this an easier option?

Many patients find that these braces are easier to wear than some others. This is because they make use of a very gentle type of low movement pressure to gently nudge the teeth into their ideal position. There is sometimes a little discomfort that usually takes place after the braces have been fitted and after adjustments have been made. However, this is easily minimised by the use of over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen and has usually disappeared after a few days.

Who is a good candidate for Six Month Smiles Stevenage?

To find out if a Six Month Smile is the best choice, it is simply a matter of making an appointment with us. However, many patients are suitable, including those who have overbites, open bites and crowding of the teeth.

What a dental e-consultation in Stevenage can help you with

When the pandemic hit it caused major disruption to dentistry and more and more patients were left not able to get the care they needed and deserve. We at Smilecraft dental weren’t happy with this and wanted to be one step ahead so that we are ready to always offer our patients best care possible in any given national circumstance. With dental e-consultation we are now opening up new doors to quicker, more convenient dentistry.

What is a dental e-consultation in Stevenage?

A dental e-consultation in Stevenage is very much similar to what you would have experienced before the pandemic, with one ,major difference – it’s all done online. We’ve partnered with Smilemate, an online dental consulting app which helps us get a better idea of exactly what’s going on so we can book you in for the appropriate dental treatment that little bit quicker. Through the use of photographs you take and send to us we are able to fast track the process of getting you back to full dental health. Issues we can look to fix are: broken tooth or filling, trauma, swelling, orthodontic enquiries, and cosmetic enquiries

FOR NEW PATIENTS

What’s amazing about SmileMate is that for new patients it can put us even further ahead of the game. If you are able to use the app and send us photos prior to your first appointment we could even be able to cost out any cosmetic work you are thinking of having done and fully prepare the treatment plan ahead of the appointment.

After you have sent all the information to us, you will be contacted via telephone or video call for further consultation before any further actions are taken. We at Smilecraft are dedicated to offering our patients the most cost effective, accessible treatment plans out there and think e-consultations will be a key component in all dentistry in the coming years.

FACE TO FACE APPOINTMENTS

We would also like to let all patients know that we are still very much accepting face to face appointments and understand that online appointments aren’t accessible to all. We don’t want anyone to feel that they can’t contact the practice for an in house check up or be worried about taking up time. We are here to support and care for all patients no matter there given circumstance.

Check ups

As we move out of the pandemic and into a brighter future we encourage all patients to make sure they’ve had a full dental check up in the last six months. X-rays can often uncover issues we aren’t able to see on the surface so we can’t stress enough how important it is to come and see.

Equally hygienist appointments are excellent to give you a big clean and revitalise your gums, again these are only treatments we can do in practice, so don’t be worried about coming back to see us – we have all the safety precautions in place.

If you would like more info on e-consultations feel free to contact our reception team.

A guide to a dental e-consultation in Stevenage

Here at Smilecraft, we work hard to ensure that all our patients have a wide range of options when it comes to getting the best possible smile. We encourage people to come to visit us for regular dental check-ups, and to learn about the choice of treatments we offer that help to improve dental health and to give great cosmetic results. This is our guide to a dental e-consultation in Stevenage, explaining how it works and how it can help.

How does it work?

A dental e-consultation in Stevenage is a modern solution for patients who lead busy lives. It takes the form of a video chat with the dentist that allows the patient to discuss any concerns they have and to ask questions about possible treatments.

The first step in the consultation is to fill in the form provided. The patient gives their name and contact details and is then asked to attach a photograph of their mouth. This can be taken using a standard smartphone and is an opportunity for the patient to show the dentist what their teeth and gums look like so that they can identify any issues and how they could be treated.

The patient is also asked to write a description of any difficulties they have been experiencing, including things like pain, sensitivity or cosmetic issues.

These details are then submitted to us for the dental e-consultation in Stevenage. The dentist examines the photograph taken and reads the description provided by the patient before booking them in for the consultation.

Who is a good candidate?

The idea behind this kind of appointment is to facilitate the needs of patients who lead very busy lives. Many of us now find that there are simply not enough hours in the day. Working full time and having a family as well as attempting to carve out a social life leaves little in the way of options for dental appointments. People who lead very busy lives do not necessarily want to take time off to discover that the issue they have can be resolved at home.

These consultations give our patients the opportunity to find out if they can alleviate any difficulties using some form of at home treatment, or if they may resolve over time with the simple application of good oral hygiene. Alternatively, they may discover that a visit to our surgery is needed, but the patient is able to save time as the dentist has been able to identify the problem and the treatment in advance of the appointment.

Patients who feel a little anxious about coming to see us for check-ups or any kind of dental treatment may find the e-consultation process very helpful. It offers them an opportunity to discuss their worries and ask the dentist about how they can help with these. They can also learn in detail about what might be involved when they attend for an in-person appointment. Having this knowledge in advance can be a very effective tool in helping to alleviate nerves and allow the patient to feel much calmer about visiting the dentist.

The ins and outs of dental hygiene

Having direct access dental hygiene Stevenage is possibly the most important element in keeping up healthy teeth and gums. It may not only be the cure for a multitude of dental sins, but can also be a really important part of preventive care. If you visit us at Smilecraft for your dental check-up and your dentist recommends you see the hygienist it can of course feel a little worrying, but we want to reassure all our patients that a trip to the hygienist is a very normal, common part of your oral care. However, if you’re still worried here’s all you need to know about dental hygiene appointments.

The role of a hygienist

A dental hygienist works slightly differently to your dentist, they undergo specialist training surrounding the upkeep and care of teeth and gums. They are trained to recognise the signs of decay and gum disease, and specialise in restoring health to the mouth through deep cleaning, known as scaling and polishing. Once they’ve worked through any in-chair treatments with you, they will discuss with you why your teeth and gums have declined in health and discuss best practices with you to fully restore and keep up your dental hygiene.

Direct access dental hygiene Stevenage

When you come and visit the practice you will be greeted by one of the team before meeting the hygienist. During the appointment you will undergo a full health examination of all your teeth and gums. When this is happening it’s very common for the hygienist to call out various numbers, this is just them indicating to the dental nurse what condition your teeth are in and is nothing to worry about.

After they’ve established the condition of your teeth they will work around the whole mouth performing a deep clean that involves a deep descale of plaque and tartar build-up. Once they’ve cleaned the teeth they will give them a good polish to give them back their shine.

They then talk you through all the ways they think you can improve your oral hygiene routine. This may include changing your brushing technique to a more circular motion or taking up the use of dental floss, which although sometimes annoying and time consuming, can make a serious difference to the health of your gums. They could recommend the use of interdental brushes, which should be used alongside flossing to remove food debris and early build of plaque.

Benefits of dental hygiene appointments

As mentioned, one of the biggest benefits of having direct access dental hygiene Stevenage is that it can be a really big help when it comes to looking after your teeth and gums, guarding against gum disease and tooth decay, the two leading causes of tooth loss.

If you are someone who has issues with bad breath, it’s amazing how much just one quick trip to the hygienist can help this, leaving you with minty fresh breath. Finally, if you’re feeling like your teeth are looking dull and tired, but you aren’t ready to opt for a teeth whitening treatment, having a scale and polish with the hygienist could give your smile back that natural shine.

Blog