Angel Link Dental practice Halesworth

Mouthwash scoops Product of the Year 2010 award

2010-07-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

Product of the Year awards is the UK's largest, independent and most representative consumer vote into product innovation; with more than 10,000 consumers voting in this year's survey conducted by TNS.

Consumers voted for the ‘must have' products which they believe are genuinely ‘new and improved' or in some way groundbreaking.

This year's survey split products into thirty-five categories.

Listerine Total Care Sensitive was voted Product of the Year in the ‘oral care' category.

Johnson and Johnson, oral care brand manager Emma Howe said, ‘We are delighted to receive the Product of the Year 2010 Award for Listerine Sensitive.

'We are pleased also that consumers recognise that Listerine Total Care Sensitive provides total protection for sensitive teeth.

'It is clinically proven to target the multiple causes of sensitivity by: protecting nerve endings against that sharp sudden sensitive feeling, through Potassium Nitrate; strengthening and protecting tooth enamel, even between the teeth through fluoride; killing up to 99% of oral bacteria, in lab tests only, which can cause gums to recede and expose sensitive areas; keeping gums healthier as it cleans hard to reach places that brushing may miss; and reducing plaque formation by up to 56% more than brushing alone.'

Its all part of taking care of your looking after your appearance.

For more information about Angel Link products see here for details.

This post has been sponsored by Turtle Mat - Rugs.

Case study - tooth whitening - Rachel Ducker (update)

2010-07-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post an update on the progress of my tooth whitening experience. The whole process from start to finish was really easy. Especially once you managed to get yourself into a routine.

After a holiday in the sun against my tanned skin I was really impressed with the results.

You can see on the photo above that the process has worked well when comparing with my previous post.

More than a third of adults are 'too distracted' to brush teeth

2010-07-15T02:55:00.000-07:00

The Angel Link Dental Practice has discovered in a survey conducted for National Smile Month by the British Dental Health Foundation found that 34% of adults are distracted while brushing their teeth.

Children were found to be one of the biggest distractions, followed closely by mobile phones.

However, running late and rushing to get ready were the largest factors, with more than one in four of those surveyed cutting short the time spent cleaning their teeth to get out of the house quicker in the morning.

The survey found that women were more likely to be distracted from brushing their teeth than men; while people aged 60 or over were the age group most likely to brush their teeth for a full two minutes.

The Foundation highlights the importance of brushing your teeth for a full two minutes twice a day, with fluoride toothpaste to keep your mouth clean and healthy.

Although 66% of those surveyed feel they do brush their teeth for a full two minutes, the Foundation emphasises this is not nearly enough people.

Many studies over the years have shown that the average time we brush our teeth for is only around 45 seconds, less than half of that necessary to do a good job, yet our study shows people think they are doing considerably better than this. All it takes is a little care!

For more information on offers and confidential advice, call the Angel Link Dental Practice on 01986 873001.

‘Healthy’ snacks loaded with sugar

2010-07-12T03:13:00.000-07:00

So-called healthy low-fat snacks sold by Britain's supermarkets contain up to 69% sugar — more than three times the amount found in chocolate ice cream.

A range of foodstuff, bought as healthy options for children's lunchtime snacks, are being sweetened with extra sugar and glucose syrup.

Many low-fat options have a sugar content significantly higher than in the conventional products.

Health experts are now demanding the food industry reduce its reliance on sugar in many popular processed foods. They warn new research shows too much sugar not only makes you fat and causes tooth decay, but might increase the risk of heart disease.

They say savoury foods from tinned spaghetti to chilli con carne sauces are also being over sweetened with extra sugar.

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said: 'Sugar is a cheap commodity and is used in bulk in a lot of foods. There needs to be pressure on the industry to produce foods which have a lower sugar content.'

Popular options for lunchtime snacks can contain as much as two-thirds sugar.

In recent years, the food industry has focused on reducing saturated fat in products because of its links to obesity and heart disease. In many cases, sugar was used to compensate for the loss of taste and texture from lower fat content.

Soups, baked beans and chilli con carne sauce can also contain up to 6% sugar.

The Food Standards Agency classifies a high amount of sugar as more than 15g per 100g, and a low amount as less than 5g per 100g. Officials have urged the industry to reduce sugar, fat and salt in products.

The Angel Link Good Practice Commitment

2010-06-30T03:08:00.000-07:00

1. We aim to provide dental care of consistently good quality, for all patients.

2. We only provide care that meets your needs and wishes.

3. We aim to make your treatment as comfortable as possible.

4. We look after your general health and safety while you are receiving dental care.

5. We follow the British Dental Association's guidelines on infection control.

6. We check for mouth cancer and tell you what we find.

7. We take part in continuing professional development to keep our skills and
knowledge up-to-date.

8. We train all staff in practice-wide work systems and review training plans once a year.

9. We welcome feedback and deal promptly with any complaints.

10. Every member of the practice is aware of the need to work safely under
General Dental Council guidelines.

For more information see it on the British Dental Association website.

Dental experts go Hollywood for kids' oral health

2010-06-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

Dental payment plan providers, Denplan, has joined forces with 20th Century Fox to promote the new children's blockbuster, Tooth Fairy.

Denplan is planning a nationwide campaign to support the launch of the movie.

It also aims to highlight the benefits of good oral health for children in a fun way that supports private dentistry and the Denplan brand.

The campaign provides members with the chance to educate younger patients, their parents and potential patients on the benefits of looking after teeth – and is aimed at driving potential patients into Denplan practices.

Exclusively for Denplan member dentists only, the company's Toolkit highlights opportunities for dental practices to promote themselves in their local pres.

It's available via Denplan Online Services and provides access to themed materials and sample press releases.

The film stars Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) and Julie Andrews in a modern-day morality tale and will be screened in cinemas across the UK from 28 May.

Dwayne Johnson is ‘The Tooth Fairy' also known as Derek Thompson, a hard-charging minor league hockey player whose nickname comes from his habit of knocking his opponents' teeth out.

When Derek crushes a youngster's hopes, he's sentenced to one week's hard labour... as a real tooth fairy, complete with fairy wings, magic wand and frilly tutu.

As Derek slowly adapts to his new position, he begins to rediscover his own forgotten dreams.

You can read more about the film by visiting www.toothfairy-movie.com.

Acupuncture 'can treat dental phobia'

2010-06-07T02:40:00.000-07:00

Angel Link have researched that people terrified of visiting the dentist can overcome their fear with acupuncture, researchers have claimed.

The findings, in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine, may offer some comfort to the one in five people thought to have dental phobia. We try our very best at Angel Link to make our nervous patients feel at ease - however this could be a breakthrough!

Five minutes of treatment with needles placed at two specific acupuncture points on the top of the head allowed all 20 patients to conquer their fear.

The experts said bigger trials are now warranted.

All of the patients were in their 40s and had been suffering from dental phobia for between two and 30 years. Many had, unsuccessfully, tried other ways to conquer their fears, including hypnosis and relaxation techniques.

Petrified

On previous dental visits, three of the patients had to be knocked out with a general anaesthetic to cope with their fears, while six others had needed strong sedatives.

In 14 cases, treatment had to be cancelled because the patient could not go through with it.
The acupuncture treatment, given in the dentist chair five minutes before their routine check-up, involved having needles inserted at acupuncture points GV20 and EX6 on the top of the head, which have been reported to aid relaxation.

The patients were asked to rate how anxious they felt before and after the acupuncture treatment using a using a scale known as the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Typically, scores on the BAI fell from 26.5 to 11.5 after acupuncture and, more importantly, said the researchers, all 20 patients were able to undergo treatment.

'Real' effect

A doctor said there was no doubt that the acupuncture was doing something, and denied the results were placebo - simply down to the patient's belief in the intervention.

"Although it is not a complete cure, it helped patients accept the dental treatment."

He said anecdotal evidence suggests it could help even when patients need more complex treatments like extractions or fillings, not just check-ups - although it may not be suitable for those who also have a fear of needles.

Researchers are now planning a randomised controlled trial with more patients to test the therapy against sham acupuncture.

Mike Cummings, medical director to the British Medical Acupuncture Society, said acupuncture was a good way to beat anxiety and that there were a couple of hundred dentists in the UK who had been trained to provide this therapy.

"Dentists can also use acupuncture to stop people gagging if they have a very strong gag reflex," he added.

Professor Damien Walmsley, of the British Dental Association, said dentists strive to put patients at their ease.

"Increasingly, dentists undertake additional training in techniques, such as hypnosis, sedation, and acupuncture, to make the experience comfortable for patients who feel especially anxious about having dental treatment.

"The results of this study sound promising, although I agree with the author that further research is required to confirm the beneficial effects of acupuncture seen in those patients with severe dental phobia."

David Beckham scores with a winning grin

2010-06-01T03:03:00.000-07:00

Former England captain David Beckham has the best smile in football, according to a new poll that coincides with National Smile Month.

Beckham, who is currently considering an offer from manager Fabio Capello to join his staff for England's 2010 World Cup campaign, had 43% of the vote of people surveyed.

Conducted by the UK's leading oral health charity, the British Dental Health Foundation, alongside power-brush manufacturer Oral-B, the survey asked more than 1,000 people which footballer has the best and worst smile.

Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo came second while Frenchman Thierry Henry scooped third.

Even though an England star topped the rankings, it was not all good for the team.

Wayne Rooney was voted to have the worst smile, with 57%.

Chelsea's troubled captain, John Terry, followed with 13%, giving him the second worst smile.

A previous survey by the Foundation found that almost 70% of the public think those with a good smile have a greater chance of success.

Chief executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, says: ‘It is essential we keep our smiles looking good, as they are often the first thing people notice about us. A previous survey showed that two thirds of the public were more likely to speak to someone if they smiled – so that's obviously the key to David Beckham's popularity.

‘It makes sense that a good smile could also impact our chances of success. If we're smiling and feeling confident, we often perform better in the work place.'

More than 50% of those who took part in that previous survey said that their first impressions of people were influenced by a person's smile, with a good smile leaving a lasting impression.

National Smile Month has just started (16 May-16 June) with a Teeth4life tagline aimed at promoting three key messages to protect your smile:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
• Cut down how often you have sugary foods and drinks
• Visit your dentist regularly

Case study part two - tooth whitening - Rachel Ducker

2010-05-26T03:19:00.000-07:00

You may have read last week a case study about my first encounter with tooth whitening.

Since then I am pleased to report I have had a very pleasent and actually quite enjoyable time whitening my teeth.

At first the though of wearing the mouth guard at night is a little daunting, thoughts such as will it be comfertable? is it safe? will I swallow it? run through your head, as well as the excitment of the process making your tummy feel funny!

It is very simple to do, you have to keep the whitening tubes in the fridge to keep the solution active so a good tip is to take it out of the fridge in advance so it is not too cold when it comes into contact with your teeth.

You then apply a small amount in each tooth area. So that I could see the difference I did the top set of my teeth first, this also makes it easier with the thought of only wearing one mouth guard. There is a small dot on each tooth placing so you know how much gel to put in.

You then just fit the mouth guard onto the teeth and it sticks into place, whilst spreading the gel over the teeth with your finger to spread it out.

I did this every night for 2 weeks and actually really enjoyed wearing the mouth guard in the end as I do suffer from stress and tend to grind my teeth, so actually the mouth guard was doing two jobs, I may even continue to wear it on stressful nights.

After 2 weeks I can certainly see the difference. My shade has now gone above a B1 which is the whitest level. I will now continue to do the bottom set over the next few weeks.

Some people experience sensitivity but rest assured my teeth were fine. I think it depends on the person. I would really recommend it to anyone thinking about having their teeth whitend, and Michelle my dentist has been wonderful throughout each course of the treatment.

Hit the slopes with Denplan

2010-05-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Denplan Ski Conference is taking place from the 22-29 January in the Zell am See resort in Salzburg, Austria.

The event is organised for Denplan member dentists and includes six days of superb skiing and apres-ski activities and daily clinical seminars.

These seminars will covering a variety of industry subjects and will also provide up to 5 hours of verifiable CPD.

Gemma Mills, events executive at Denplan commented: 'Zell am See is a glacier resort two hours from Salzburg and a charming lakeside town with a variety of shops, bars and cafes to enjoy after a hard day of skiing. The trip also includes accommodation at the four-star Stadt Wien Hotel, which is just a six minute walk to Zell centre and has a Vitality Oasis spa, which includes a sauna, solarium, salt therapy room, and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool.

'This is one of the many outings in the Denplan members' events calendar and it is always one of the most popular. Places for this event go really fast, so for more information, please contact the Denplan Events team.'

Case study - tooth whitening - Rachel Ducker

2010-05-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

CASE STUDY - RACHEL DUCKER

I have to say the idea of having my teeth whitened at first seemed like it was going to be a daunting experience.Mainly because I have never had to have impressions before and thought it was going to be really difficult.

I booked in to have my teeth whitened at The Angel Link Dental Practice in Halesworth. When I went in to see Michelle, I must confess I was very nervous.

As soon as I got in the chair, Michelle managed to calm all of my nerves away with her confidence and detailed explanations of what was going to happen.

We started off by taking some images of my current shade of tooth colour.

I then had to have the dreaded impressions taken. This is basically when putty is put in the mouth to mould the tooth shape - which will create the mouth guard used to insert the whitening liquid.

The putty was flavoured which made it quite pleasent in fact and the impressions lasted no longer than five minutes.

My experience of this first stage was very surprising, actually quite enjoyable!

Keep posted to find out more about my tooth whitening process as the stages continue.

Smiling could be key to Downing Street, reveals dental poll

2010-05-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

The race to become Prime Minister could all rest on a good smile – according to the results of a new poll conducted by the UK's leading oral health charity.

A national survey from the British Dental Health Foundation found that almost 70 percent of us think that people who smile have a greater chance of being successful.

The survey, conducted to coincide with National Smile Month (May 16-June 16), showed that over half of those asked said they judge a person by their smile, with a good grin leaving a lasting impression.

Another poll carried out by the Foundation revealed Conservative leader David Cameron as the leader with the best smile, with 38% of people preferring his smile to that of his election rivals.

Labour's Gordon Brown came in second with 33% while Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg came in third with 29%.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy smile.

Dr Carter said: 'Teeth are often the first thing people notice about us so it is imperative we keep our smiles looking good. We tend to warm to people more if they have a healthy smile, in fact, a previous National Dental Survey found that two thirds of us are more likely to speak to someone we don't know if they smile at us. So the key to popularity appears to be simple – smile!

'The results of the survey share a remarkable similarity to the latest national poll ratings. Although it would be excessive to say that people actually vote according to who has the best smile, it is at least worth acknowledging the connection between the two polls. Either way, both suggest that we could be heading for a hung parliament.

'With a surge of celebrities, as well as other well-known figures being branded for their smiles, a lot of us do now relate smiling with success.

'I'm sure all three leaders know how important it is to smile and what message it sends across to the public. As for their smiles, all three seem quite equally matched, which seems to be shown by the results of our survey.'

Almost 80% of the 1,000 people asked in the Foundation's survey said they thought that having a smile they are proud of makes them feel more confident, socially and psychologically.

However, nearly a third of people (31%) know someone who is hampered by their smile.

Dr Carter added: 'As well as improving your confidence, it can help you make friends and help you to succeed in your career, so you need to keep it looking its best.'

Meet our new practice manager...

2010-04-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

As from now the Angel Link Dental Practice have a new practice manager.

Sam has joined Angel Link after a long career in the hospitality industry.

She will be managing the day to day runnings of the practice, and all of the staff and management at Angel Link would like to welcome Sam to the team.

Children More Likely to Visit the Dentist If Their Parents Do, Too...

2010-04-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

A new report appearing in the journal Pediatrics, which has been released online, is the first to analyze the relationship between parents' and childrens' dental visits in a nationally representative sample.

Whether or not children receive regular dental care is strongly associated with their parents' history of seeking dental care.

When parents don't see the dentist, their children are much less likely to see the dentist, also the children of parents who have put off their own dental care for financial reasons are more likely to have their care deferred due to cost as well. It looks like strategies to promote oral health should focus on the whole family.

Earlier investigations of the impact of parents' accessing dental care focused on particular demographic groups. Even when children are covered by medical insurance, it appears that financial barriers are influencing parents' decisions about accessing dental care for their children.

At Angel Link we encourage 'family' visits to the dentist as we believe it sets a good example for your children, which hopefully will rub off on future generations. If your children are educated about oral health it is likely the less problems they will have with their teeth in later life.

To book your family visit to the Angel Link Dental Practice contact us online or call 01986 873001 for an appointment.

Employers banning dentist visits in work hours on the up...

2010-04-13T03:19:00.000-07:00

Employers are increasingly discouraging their staff from visiting the dentist during work hours, a survey has revealed.

The number of companies taking this approach has doubled from 5% in 2009 to 10% this year.
Researchers behind the 2010 Simplyhealth Annual Dental Survey said it is a sign that companies have been under pressure to keep people at work during the recession.

Results showed that HR managers in the north-east were the most likely (25%) to discourage employees.
Surprisingly, the healthcare sector is one of the most restrictive to employees, with 30% taking such an attitude.

But many take a more generous approach, with 71% of HR managers saying they were concerned that employees cannot afford to maintain their oral health.

A majority (74%) believe it is the responsibility of the company to look after the oral health of the workforce.

'With more people struggling to find an NHS dentist, 39% up from 35% in 2009, offering dental benefits can allow employees the option to visit a private dentist outside of office hours.'

Do you have trouble getting do the dentist? Angel Link would like to hear from you. Post a comment below.

Denplan ranks in Sunday Times poll... again

2010-04-06T03:15:00.000-07:00

Angel Link is pleased to report that Denplan has ranked in ‘The Sunday Times 100 best companies to work for 2010' listings for mid-sized companies again, placing inside the Top 25 companies to work for in the UK for the seventh consecutive year.

Open to all companies in the UK, these awards are designed to distinguish between ‘the good and the most outstanding companies' so it is nice for us at Angel Link to hear of this news being within the dental industry.

Steve Gates, managing director at Denplan said:

'This year's ranking is a real testament to the team here at Denplan, who continually rise to meet the challenges facing the dental profession today. It's great to know that people like working here and we all go out of our way to help each other and make a difference in the organisation.

This winning attitude is the key to our success as the leading dental plan specialist and what makes us the number one choice for dentists looking to provide affordable private dentistry to their customers.'

If you would like more information about Denplan then contact us at the Angel Link Dental Practice.

Welcome to Angel Link Blog!

2010-02-24T10:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Angel Link Dental Practice blog.

This is the place you can keep up with the latest practice, industry news and images from Angel Link.

Based in the well known Suffolk market town of Halesworth, Angel Link Dental Practice offers a warm, yet business-like service to the residents and the surrounding area.

Founded in 1981, the Practice currently has three dentists; Michelle Wyngaard Practice Principal, Peter Wagg and Duncan Gooch, with and an extensive support team serving a client-base of over 4,000. Working from modern, purpose-built premises the surgeries are light and spacious as well as being well equipped.

From the website's launch in 1998 the practice has enjoyed the chance to offer clients and prospective clients the chance to learn more about Angel Link, its staff and the services offered.

For more information call us today on 01986 873001.