There have been a lot of news stories over the past few months about Brits and their terrible teeth, with some stories claiming up to a fifth of us are too embarrassed to smile in photographs because of dental problems.

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we believe we can help to give you the confidence to smile this year and to prove it we’ve put together a list of the three most common teeth complaints and what we can do about them.

Wonky teeth

Whether it’s buck teeth, overcrowding or jutting canines, wonky teeth don’t have to be an issue. If you can’t quite face the thought of wearing traditional “train track” braces as an adult, why not try Invisalign – an invisible braces system that can straighten your teeth just as quickly as normal braces, without the associated discomfort and embarrassment.

Stained, yellow teeth

If your teeth are discoloured, why not try professional teeth whitening? The system we use here at Bristol dentist practice CK dental is widely considered to be one of the safest and most effective on the market today, leaving you with the bright white smile you’ve always dreamed of. So if you’re looking for tooth whitening in Bristol, give us a call today.

Broken teeth

If you have poorly shaped, unevenly sized, or broken teeth, you might want to consider dental veneers. CK Dental practice offers porcelain dental veneers in Bristol to create an even, white smile using minimally invasive techniques. The veneers are bonded to your teeth meaning they look and feel very natural, allowing you to eat and talk as normal.

So, with all these dental solutions and more, if you’re looking for a cosmetic dentist in Bristol why not let CK Dental help you make 2016 the year you got your smile back?

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we don’t want anyone to be scared of going to the dentist and we make every effort to ensure that our practice is as relaxed and welcoming as possible.

However, there is such a thing as dentalphobia, which is an irrational fear of going to the dentist. Staff here at our Bristol dental clinic are trained in dealing with dentalphobic patients and we have certain tricks up our sleeve which can make a big difference, but what if there were a way to cure your phobia once and for all?

The research

A team of researchers at King’s College London has carried out a study which shows that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could have a positive effect on people suffering from dentalphobia, allowing them to visit the dentist without the need for sedation.

The study was published in The British Dental Journal and looked at the effect of CBT on 130 patients with dental anxiety. 79% of the patients who had CBT went on to have dental treatment without the need for sedation, after an average of five CBT sessions.

What is CBT?

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a kind of therapy that teaches patients techniques to alter the way they deal with stressful or anxiety-inducing situations. It is a short-term treatment, with most people needing only six to ten sessions, and is most commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.

It has been shown that CBT can not only help to reduce dentalphobia but can also have a positive effect on dental attendance.

So CBT can actually help to improve your dental health?

In a way, yes. Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we encourage all patients to visit the practice at least once every six months for a check-up. This allows us to keep a close eye on your oral health and deal with any potential problems early.

For many people, visiting the dentist twice a year doesn’t pose a problem, but for dentalphobic patients, even a routine dental check-up is fraught with anxiety. Together with the efforts we at CK Dental make to put all our patients at ease, CBT could be a valuable tool to encourage these patients to attend the dentist more regularly.

A study carried out towards the end of last year showed that footballers had worse oral health than the average person in the UK, and researchers claim this could have a negative impact on their ability to perform on the football pitch.

Here at CK Dental practice in Bristol, we see a lot of patients with tooth decay and many of them find it difficult to see a link between dental health problems and the ability to do their job, so we wanted to explain how problems with your teeth can reach further than you might expect.

The study

The researchers, from the International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health at University College London, looked at 187 players from eight football clubs in England and Wales. They found that around 40% had tooth decay, compared to about 30% of their peers in the non-footballing population.

They also found that 53% had dental erosion and 45% were bothered by their dental health, with 7% claiming it affected their ability on the pitch.

Why would it have this effect?

Toothache is widely acknowledged to be one of the most debilitating pains, as it affects not just the mouth, but the head, neck and even ears, making it difficult to concentrate, hold a conversation or even sleep.

According to Professor Ian Needleman, one of the researchers, “There are two main groups [among the footballers] – some have a catastrophic effect, they have very severe abscesses that stop them in their tracks and they cannot play or train.

“There’ll be others experiencing pain affecting sleeping or sensitivity every time they take a drink.”

Why footballers?

It seems strange that people who otherwise take such care of themselves physically should disregard their dental health, and the researchers did not find conclusive evidence to explain the problem. Theories include a high intake of sugary sports drinks to boost energy, or the fact that a lot of air circulate in the mouth during play, decreasing levels of saliva, which helps to protect the teeth.

Whatever the reasons behind it, it is clear to the team here at Bristol dental practice CK Dental that we all need to take better care of our teeth to avoid unnecessary interruption of our careers and daily routine.

We’ve all got our new year diet and exercise regime sorted, and after the Christmas excess we can’t wait to get on it. But have you thought about compiling a list of new year resolutions for your teeth? It might sound silly, but with “good teeth” ranking high on everyone’s list of most attractive qualities in a potential partner, not to mention all the health benefits, it might be worth a go.

Here’s a list of suggestions from the team here at Bristol dental practice CK Dental:

Brush twice a day, floss once a day

It sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how many patients at our Bristol dental practice admit that they often forget to brush twice a day. Ideally, you should brush after every meal, but as that’s not convenient for most people, thoroughly brushing morning and evening should be enough to keep the worst of the plaque at bay. Floss in the evenings too, to help get rid of any stray bits of food caught between your teeth, which will eventually turn into plaque if left.

See your dentist every six months

For some reason, trips to the dentist seem to fall low down on many people’s list of priorities – reasons cited usually include a shortage of time or money. In fact, if you get your dental health checked every six months, as recommended, you can save yourself an awful lot of time and money in future. If you’re still concerned about cost, consider signing up with Denplan (click here for more details).

Stop smoking

Smoking is bad for you in so many respects, it’s amazing that such a large proportion of the population still stick with it. It can be particularly bad for your oral health, causing yellow, stained teeth, halitosis (bad breath) and even throat cancer. If quitting smoking isn’t all ready on your list of NYRs, put it on now.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water

Try to avoid sugary foods and drinks as much as possible, stick to healthy options such as vegetables and lean meats, and drink lots of water to wash all the sugars off your teeth. This will help with your new year diet plan, as well as keeping your teeth healthy.

Finally, from all the team here at CK Dental practice in Bristol: Happy New Year!