Health News
Deprived Areas are Receiving Poor Dental Care
Adults living in deprived areas are likely to receive worse dental care than those in less deprived areas according to new research. A new study, published in the journal PLOS One, has found that the type of dental care your receive could vary depending on your state of deprivation. Adults from highly deprived areas were…
Five Reasons to Whiten Teeth
In recent years, inspired by celebrities and influencers, the general public has been choosing more and more to whiten their teeth. Have you thought about going to the dentist for professional teeth whitening? You may have considered trying the newest Instagram teeth whitening craze. Let’s have a look at the five main reasons whiten teeth.…
Your appointment with the dental hygienist
Why your hygiene appointments are as important as dental check ups guest blog by hayley irons We all know that we should attend for a dental check-up. Normally this is as regularly as every six months. This helps your dentist to keep a close eye on your oral health and spot any changes early before…
What are Your Teeth Telling You?
Your teeth and your mouth can highlight a lot of underlying health issues. You may notice some abnormalities but what are they trying to tell you? What can your mouth tell you about any underlying health issues? We’re going to delve into some common symptoms of the teeth and mouth and explain their potential health…
Fear of visiting the dentist – an easy option!
nearly one in three adults do not see a dentist for up to ten years at a time due to anxiety. it’s important for dentists to offer the best possible patient experience. We take a look at some dental clinics to see how they deliberately create an angst-free patient experience. Consideration of the practice décor One…
The Truth About At Home Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is a multi billion pound industry. We are all desperate for that Hollywood smile. We see the pearly whites of those celebrities that we love and it would seem that we would do anything to get a similar look, except visit the dentist! Today on the Defacto Dentists blog, we’re looking at the…
HPV & Dentistry: How They’re Linked & What You Need To Know.
HPV or the Human Papillomavirus is a group of viruses and is the most common sexually transmitted virus. But what has this got to do with dentistry? Well, HPV is most commonly attributed to causing genital warts or cervical cancer but HPV can also cause oral cancer. HPV is the leading cause of oro-pharyngeal cancers…
Stress Could Be Harming Your Teeth…
Stress can damage our teeth just as much as a bad diet or poor dental hygiene can. Stress can really affect our emotional and physical health. It can also wreak havoc on our teeth and gums. Today on the blog, we’re looking at what you can do to help ease the harsh effects of stress…
Picking the Perfect Practice!
Picking the right dental practice for you is vital. Picking a dental practice that suits your needs will ensure that you get the best possible care. But everyone always wonders what factors they should look at before choosing. Today, we’re going to look at the 5 main factors you should consider when choosing a practice.…
Children Urged To Take Good Care of Their Teeth.
Children in the UK have access to free dental care on the NHS. Ensuring that children attend dental appointments from a young age is crucial to ensure that they develop good dental habits from a young age. If a child pays good attention to their teeth and gums when they are young, they can prevent…
Morning Sickness & Your Smile
Morning sickness is one of the major downsides of pregnancy. While some women suffer only from the nauseous and queasy feeling, some women suffer from intense morning sickness and are sick multiple times a day. Being sick can really damage our teeth, and this is something that people rarely discuss. Sick is extremely acidic and…
Make A Point of Making Appointments!
Missing dental appointments is something you shouldn’t make a habit of. One missed appointment can easily become many year’s worth of missed appointments. The problem is, too many of us don’t make visiting the dentist a priority. Unfortunately, by doing this, we open the doors to more dental problems further down the line! No…
The City With A Sweet Tooth
Sweet treats are hard to resist. Whether it’s cakes, chocolates, sweets or ice cream, we’re all guilty of occasionally over indulging on our favourite treats. In a recent survey, it was discovered that out of all of the major cities in the UK that Belfast have the sweetest tooth, with over 80% of all residents…
The Food That Is Good For Our Teeth.
The food that we eat can hugely impact our dental health. On the blog before, we’ve looked at Food that can help to whiten our teeth. We also briefly looked at the food we should pass up on to avoid tooth discolouration. Today, we’re looking at the food that is actually surprisingly good for our…
Is There Such a Thing as Bad Brushing?
Brushing your teeth for two minutes, twice a day is a sure-fire way to keep any dental problems at bay. But are you doing it right? Sure, you might be brushing twice a day for the right amount of time, but doing it wrong could be just as bad as not brushing at all.…
Designer Dentistry?
Designer Dentistry has a whole new meaning. When we think of designer dentistry, we think of the bright white and perfectly straight smiles. Smiles that are customised and designed by patients and their dentists with extreme precision. Now, streetwear fashion brands are giving designer dentistry a whole new meaning. As an International Fashion Branding student,…
Tooth Loss in Adults
Tooth loss in adults can be worrying and really knock your confidence. It’s a dental problem that adults never really think about but it does happen, probably more than you think. The most common reasons for tooth loss in adults are: bad oral hygiene routines, serious illness, chronic illness such as diabetes, gum disease, sudden…
Tooth Loss In Children
Tooth loss in children is expected. When a child’s first tooth falls out, it can be a pretty scary moment for both you and them but it is an exciting experience! This week, for part of our National Tooth Fairy Day celebrations, we looked at how to introduce The Tooth Fairy to young children. If…
Going Back To The Dentist
Going back to the dentist after a long period of avoiding appointments can be a daunting experience. Everyone has their own reasons for not going to the dentist – some people have dental phobia and are scared of the dentist, some people don’t feel the need to visit the dentist unless they feel pain…
Social Media Selling and Dental Products
With the rise of social media selling, everywhere is slowly becoming a retail platform. It’s unusual to scroll down social media sites such as Instagram or Facebook without online influencers pushing products in our faces. While influencers may say that they are ‘really loving’ a product, there is a possibility that they haven’t even…
Oral Health Problems and Your Overall Health
Did you know that your Oral Health can really affect your health? Our teeth and gums are brilliant indicators of our overall health. Teeth and gums can show tell-tale signs of heart problems, digestive problems and poor brain function. The human body really is amazing and our overall health truly does start with…
Can Dentists Identify Health Problems?
When we think of going to the dentist, we automatically think of our teeth – check-ups, fillings, visiting the hygienist but did you know that your dentist is there to care for more than just your teeth? Your dentist is able to identify a number of health problems. Can dentists identify eating disorders? People…
Celebrities With Braces
There have been more celebrities with braces than you might think. For kids, teenagers and even some adults, the prospect of having braces can be quite daunting. Maybe they feel self-conscious about smiling or eating, or they may even feel like the odd one out but it can be reassuring to know that just about…
Caring for Braces
Looking after your teeth well while you have braces is crucial. After a dentist has fitted their patient’s braces, they will explain to the patients all of the steps that should be taken to ensure that the braces remain clean and in good working condition. Many dental surgeries will provide information leaflets on care and…
Teeth Whitening With Food!
When talking about teeth whitening, everyone mentions the foods that you shouldn’t be eating. Wines, rich sauces, acidic fruits… you’ve probably heard them all. As bad as they are for causing stains to develop on the teeth, in moderation, they are completely fine. BUT, did you know that here are also foods out there that…
The State of Children’s Oral Health in the UK
Children’s oral health within the UK has improved drastically since the 1970’s. This is due to greater awareness of oral hygiene and the consequences of a lack of good oral hygiene. However, children in the UK are still facing common dental issues such as tooth decay, infections and abscesses. These require costly treatments, putting pressure…
A Third of Us Suffer From Dental Fear!
Over a third of the UK’s population has dental fear! We, at Defacto, work with those suffering from dental fear regularly. However, the vastness of the issue is shocking. Around 34% of Brits admitted to having a fear of the dentist. The research questioned 2,000 British adults about their fears when visiting the doctors, dentists…
8 Ways to Cut Down on Sugar
Sugar is a nation wide addiction. Should you want to kick the habit, we can offer you 8 ways to cut down on sugar. We don’t expect people to cut it out entirely. Sugar is hard to escape these days. But, there are ways to skirt around it without eating too much. Not only will…
Dental Hygiene Rules You Don’t Know but Should Follow
We think we know all the basic dental hygiene tips. But we probably don’t. You’ve been brushing your teeth your whole life but its likely there are a couple of things you could be incorporating into your dental hygiene routine that you haven’t already. Brushing and flossing twice a day is still important. However, we’d…
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Dental Appointments
Dental appointments can feel inconvenient. You might need to go during work and they cost money. However, they are necessary. We’ve seen a couple of articles this week explaining how people are skipping their dental appointments to save money. Here’s a few reasons why that isn’t a great idea. Flossing and brushing isn’t enough. You…
How Can Dentists Help with Sleep Apnea
Do you have trouble with snoring or sleeping? Do you wake up tired? It’s possible that you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes.…
Why do Scuba Divers Need Regular Dental Visits?
We all need to visit the dentist regularly. However, it seems that scuba divers might need some special attention… A study, by the British Dental Journal, suggests that scuba divers commonly suffer from dental issues. More than 40 percent of a small group of divers surveyed online had “experienced dental problems during a dive.” A…
Why You Should Visit Your Dentist Over the Holidays
Christmas and New Year can be a busy time for us all. But, you should be making it a busy time for your dentist. We’re not saying we want dentists laden down with work over the holidays. What we are saying is that you should be focusing on maintaining your dental health over this festive…
A Quarter of Brits Attempting DIY Dentistry
Here at Defacto we focus on the large number of the UK public who avoid the dentist. Whether its poor memory or dental anxiety, we encourage those people to get the dental care they need. However, it appears that British people are trying their hand at DIY dentistry. It goes without saying that we are against…
The Toothbrushing Programme Improving Children’s Oral Health
A pilot scheme in nurseries is paving the way for improving children’s oral health. A toothbrushing programme in early years settings has made children less reluctant to clean their teeth. The programme was piloted in 68 nurseries and with 20 childminders from April. The Smiles4Children programme explores the best ways of getting children under five…
E-cigarettes Shown to Damage Gums
Whether it’s for health or a hobby, we’re pretty sure we all know someone who uses an e-cigarette. The business of e-cigarettes has boomed over the last few years. It’s no longer a business solely for weaning smokers off their habit. Vaping now even has a solid fan base of enthusiasts. A surprising hobby, but…
What Causes Dry Mouth?
We’ve all experienced dry mouth at some point in our lives, but what causes it? We don’t mean dry mouth in the sense that you’ve woken up with a hangover or an illness. What we mean is chronic dry mouth. Frequent dry mouth can be a sign of underlying health issues and we want you…
Anxiety in Children at an All Time High
The number of calls made regarding anxiety in children is at an all time high according to recent figures. Figures from the NSPCC’s Childline service suggest calls from anxious children have risen rapidly. Childline deals with calls from distressed children. However, they answered 11,706 calls dealing with anxiety in children in 2015-16. When compared to…
What Does Smoking Do To Your Smile?
We all know that smoking is bad for us. However, while the majority of us are focusing on the cancer risk or our lungs, what does smoking do to our mouth? It has been estimated that every year in the UK around 96,000 people die from diseases caused by smoking. Also, about half of all…
Oral Cancer Symptoms You Should Watch Out For
Oral Cancer is the 11th most common cancer, in males, in the UK. Do you watch out for oral cancer symptoms? There has been a 92% increases in cases of oral cancer since the 70s. There are thousands of new cases diagnosed annually. It’s estimated that 91% of the cases are preventable if they are…
Improving Children’s Oral Health
To improve children’s oral health, issues need to be tackled in schools first. Children’s oral health has become more of an issue of late. With child tooth decay rising rapidly, it’s no surprise people want to see the problem addressed. In 2014/15 over 26,000 children aged between five and nine were admitted to hospital for…
40% of Children Not Seeing a Dentist
Over 40% of children didn’t attend the dentist last year. NHS statistics show that 4 in 10 children haven’t been for regular check ups. The British Dental Association calls the figure ‘embarrassing’. Tooth decay remains the most common reason young children go to hospital. The BDA say regular dental check-ups are the key to preventing…
Top 10 Teeth Whitening Foods
It seems like there’s so much food and drink that does damage to your teeth these days. Although, what if there are teeth whitening foods… It’s not really a ‘what if’, there are loads of healthy teeth whitening foods. They may not bleach them but a lot of these foods work to wash away discolouration…
Why is Tongue Scraping Important?
Of course we know that brushing and flossing is an important part of your dental routine, but why is tongue scraping important? You may or may not have heard of this technique before, however, tongue scraping does a lot to aid in your dental health. The small instrument is a plastic tool that you would…
Children’s Teeth Damaged by Common Chemicals
Early exposure to two commonly found chemicals could cause irreversible damage to children’s teeth. A new study has noted that bisphenol A (BPA) and vinclozolin, which are found in food packaging and fungicides, may cause issues with the hormones involved in the growth of teeth. It seems that the most at risk component of your…
Gingivitis More Common in Pregnant Women
Recent study shows that pregnant women are more likely to suffer from gingivitis. Pregnancy is likely to heighten the risk of moderate to severe oral health issues according to the new study, which was presented at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Seoul, South Korea. It is estimated by some sources that…
The Teeth of Studying Teens Might be Suffering.
Teenagers who sleep less because of exams get more stressed. A study has found that less sleep can lead to academic, behavioural and health issues. Its exam season and teens are getting more worried, however, this can result in constant stress related sleep problems. Disturbed sleep patterns and everyday anxiety caused by the prospect of…
Brits Are Hiding Their Teeth in Selfies
New survey shows that fans of selfies are more likely to hide their teeth than have an open mouth smile. Issues with their teeth are prompting fans of selfies in Britain to pose closed mouth instead of showing their teeth to the world. Discoloured teeth are the biggest reason behind 33% of those surveyed for hiding teeth…
Nursery Staff Teaching Kids About Dental Hygiene
Tooth decay in young children is on the rise and nursery staff are trying to change that. The cost of removing teeth in hospital has risen by 66% since 2011 according to the British Dental Association. However, although there may be children going through the discomfort of having fillings or extractions, there are many other children…