As a dental practice with a commitment to providing the best care for our patients, at Benhill Dental Practice we understand that athletes and sports lovers have unique dental care needs. Physical activity is an important element in acquiring bodily health, so we don’t want anything to distract from this. In the article, we will share our top dental care tips for athletes to help you maintain healthy gums Sutton and protect your smile.

1. Choose the right mouthguard for your sport

One of the most important aspects of protecting your smile while engaging in sports is using the right mouthguard. A mouthguard can protect your teeth and gums from injury and reduce the risk of dental emergencies. At our practice, we offer custom-made mouthguards designed to fit your teeth perfectly. These provide the best protection and are far more comfortable than generic, over-the-counter options. By choosing the right mouthguard, you can focus on excelling in your sport while keeping your teeth and gums healthy.

2. Maintain proper oral hygiene habits

Even as an athlete, it’s crucial to maintain good oral hygiene habits to support healthy gums Sutton and keep your teeth strong. We recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Flossing daily is essential to remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth and under the gumline, where your toothbrush can’t reach. In addition, make sure to visit our dental practice regularly for professional cleanings and check-ups. Our team of experienced professionals will help ensure your teeth and gums stay in top shape.

3. Be mindful of your sports drink and snack choices

Many sports drinks and snacks contain high levels of sugar and acid, which can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease. To protect your teeth and gums, try to choose healthier options when possible. Instead of sugary sports drinks, opt for water or electrolyte drinks with low or no sugar content. If you need a quick energy boost during a game or workout, choose snacks that are low in sugar and high in protein, like nuts or cheese. Our dental team can provide more personalised advice on the best food and drink choices for your specific needs.

4. Address dental injuries promptly

Despite our best efforts, accidents and injuries can happen during sports. If you experience a dental injury, it’s important to act quickly and seek professional care. Our dental practice is equipped to handle a wide range of dental emergencies, from chipped or cracked teeth to knocked-out teeth or damaged gums. By addressing dental injuries promptly, you can minimise the risk of long-term damage and ensure your smile stays healthy and strong.

At Benhill Dental Practice, our team is dedicated to helping athletes like you maintain healthy gums Sutton and protect your smile. By following these tips and seeking regular dental care, you can enjoy your favourite sports while ensuring your oral health remains a top priority. Schedule an appointment with us today to discuss your unique dental needs and learn more about how we can support your athletic lifestyle.

Like pain, anxiety can be debilitating. Fear and anxiety prevent you from making the most of life’s opportunities. This fear, when applied to healthcare needs such as visiting the dentist for oral health checks, raises the risk of medical complications.

Unfortunately, there are many nervous patients Sutton who run the risk of developing dreaded dental diseases for fear of the dental environment. This fear and anxiety can have many causes, from embarrassment over the state of teeth and gums to fear of the dental drill to previous unpleasant dental visits.

At Benhill Dental Practice, we understand the fears and anxieties of nervous patients Sutton, which is why we are proud to be a dental practice that accommodates these needs. We know well the real consequences of not receiving professional dental care when you need it.

Gentle dentistry for nervous patients Sutton

Different dental practices tackle dental anxiety in different ways. We prefer the gentle and caring approach where we focus on using techniques that ensure nervous patients feel in control at all times.

In addition to helping nervous patients feel in control, we also place significant importance on seeing to patient comfort. Thanks to modern dental techniques, many treatments and procedures can be performed with as little discomfort as possible, and for procedures that might provide discomfort, we are happy to use local anaesthesia so that patient comfort is a priority.

Often patients feel anxious about dental care when they do not know what to expect from the prescribed treatment plan. To help ease this anxiety, we take the time to talk with the patient about what to expect during treatment and run through guidelines that apply before, during and after the procedure. Answering questions and concerns is key to helping them overcome their fears.

Why is professional dental care necessary?

There are plenty of big benefits to routine dental check-ups. Good oral health is necessary for much more than just strong teeth and healthy gums. It may surprise patients to know that the general health of the wider body is just as reliant on professional dental care as teeth and gums are.

Professional dental care secures the health of oral structures to enable biting and chewing for effective and efficient digestion. Good nutrition ensures the physical body is strong enough to function and remain healthy to fight off illness.

In addition to keeping the mouth healthy, regular professional care also keeps the mouth disease-free. This is also important for physical health as researchers have discovered evidence that shows bad oral bacteria also have a role to play in advancing medical complications that affect the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Pneumonia, heart disease and strokes are some of the common medical conditions that can be triggered by disease-causing bacteria from the mouth entering the bloodstream and making their way to the heart and lungs.

Visiting the dentist for routine dental check-ups should be seen as an investment in oral and general health. Nervous patients should find a dental practice like Benhill Dental Practice that looks to the comfort and care of patients with dental anxieties. For a confident and caring approach to dental care, schedule an appointment with us today.

Teeth whitening Sutton is one of the most popular sought-after cosmetic procedures here at Benhill Dental Practice and in dental practices throughout the country. Teeth whitening Sutton is quick and simple and it can be carried out gently and expertly by our dentist or in the comfort of your own home, thanks to advances in dental technology. Teeth whitening Sutton is one of the easiest ways to transform the appearance of your smile. If you are looking to whiten your teeth then you need to speak to our dentist at Benhill Dental Practice today. There are hundreds of teeth whitening products available over the counter, however it is important to make sure that the products are suitable for your teeth, you need to learn about any side effects that they may have and if you have any underlying dental health complications whether or not it may exacerbate your conditions.

Here at the practice, our dentist will carry out a thorough examination of your teeth and gums to identify any signs of cavities, tooth decay or gum disease. Our dentist will also ask if you have any dental concerns or if you suffer from issues such as sensitivity. Any underlying dental health issues, such as sensitivity, may be affected by teeth whitening, therefore we will help make the right decision for you.

Teeth whitening at the dental practice

If you are looking for instant results then you can have teeth whitening carried out at the dental practice. This includes applying a teeth whitening gel consisting of hydrogen peroxide onto your teeth and activating the bleaching agent using UV light for quicker and more enhanced results. It may be possible to brighten your teeth up to eight shades whiter. The procedure will take approximately half an hour to ninety minutes and is ideal if you have a big day or a special occasion coming up. Professional teeth whitening performed in the dental practice is recommended once every 1 to 3 years, depending on your individual needs. If you maintain good dental hygiene and visit the dentist on a regular basis then you should not need it as often.

Teeth whitening at home

If you are looking for a gradual teeth whitening process our dentist will be able to prescribe a home whitening kit. A home whitening kit takes approximately two weeks to whiten your teeth to the desired shade and often involves a hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening gel that is to be worn in your mouth for a short period of time during the day. It also includes a carbamide peroxide night whitening gel that is kept in your mouth overnight and works whilst you sleep. Both hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide work to break down the stain molecules on the surface of your teeth and reveal the white enamel underneath. Home whitening kits are also perfectly appropriate to use when prescribed by our dentist and it is important that you follow the instructions at all times for optimal results. Speak to us at Benhill Dental Practice today and find out more about whitening your teeth for a beautiful, confident smile.

Teeth whitening Sutton is a great way to improve the appearance of your smile for a boost in self-confidence or if you are looking to make a great impression. It is innocuous and non-invasive and can transform your appearance quickly and stunningly. If you are unhappy with the colour of your teeth, speak to us at Benhill Dental Practice and find out about gentle and efficient teeth whitening Sutton.

Is teeth whitening suitable for you?

Teeth whitening is ideal for patients with healthy teeth and gums. If you require restorative dental treatment or other procedures then you can whiten your teeth after your treatment is complete. We will carry out a smile assessment to find out if teeth whitening Sutton is suitable for you. If you have sensitive teeth then teeth whitening may worsen your symptoms, but we can advise on other cosmetic dental treatments for you. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding then it is best to delay teeth whitening as the bleaching agents may not be good for the baby. Also teeth whitening does not work on crowns, veneers, bridges or dentures so you would have to look at other options to improve the appearance of your teeth.

Boutique teeth whitening

Teeth become yellow and stained as a result of many different reasons, including poor oral hygiene, avoiding the dentist, your choice of food and drink, lifestyle choices such as smoking, underlying health conditions and certain medications such as tetracycline. Here at Benhill Dental Practice we offer Boutique teeth whitening for a beautiful white smile. As mentioned we will first carry out an examination to make sure that teeth whitening is appropriate for you. We will then take an impression of your mouth to create a set of bespoke whitening trays. These trays will fit your mouth accurately for optimal results. You will be provided with a whitening toothpaste to begin the process whilst you wait for your whitening trays. Once the trays are ready then you will be provided with the treatment kit and you can begin the treatment in the comfort of your own home.

Day or night treatment

You can choose a day treatment kit or a night treatment kit depending on your personal preferences. The day gel consists of 6% hydrogen peroxide and is only kept in the mouth for an hour to quickly break down stain molecules on the surface of your teeth. The night gel consists of 10% carbamide peroxide or 16% carbamide peroxide, depending on your needs, to gently break down stain molecules on the surface of your teeth. The lower concentration is more suitable for those with sensitive teeth. We will talk you through the advantages of each of the treatments helping you to decide on the best treatment option for you. The treatment itself takes between 1 and 3 weeks to help you achieve a beautiful white smile so speak to us at Benhill Dental Practice today. With teeth whitening we can help you improve the appearance of your smile significantly, boost your self-confidence and allow you to beam happily at yourself in the mirror and show off your teeth to the rest of the world too.

Modern dentistry has made available a range of aesthetics-focused treatments to make smiles more attractive. There is teeth whitening Sutton to brighten the colour of stained or discoloured teeth, dental veneers and teeth-straightening treatment plans that look to bring teeth into natural alignment.

Dentistry today is not all about preventing and treating dental diseases, but also about enhancing the smile. Your smile has become a prized personal asset, mainly due to the great number of ways the smile can help improve mental and psychosocial health. This is why at Benhill Dental Practice, we have numerous dental treatments listed on our service menu that are devoted to perfecting smiles, one of which is professional teeth whitening Sutton.

Adults keen to brighten the appearance of their teeth have two options before them. One is to use dental bleaching products bought over the counter. The second is to entrust dental bleaching to the professionals with in-chair teeth whitening Sutton.

Those people who choose the former are swayed by the reduction in price but at the cost of quality. There are definite plus points to professional teeth whitening treatments and we take a look at some of them in this post.

Why it is always best to choose a dentist for teeth whitening

It is well worth the investment in having a qualified dentist carry out teeth whitening treatments. Teeth whitening involve placing a dental bleaching product directly onto teeth. Dental bleaching products contain active ingredients like hydrogen peroxide that can damage tooth health if not used correctly.

It is the role of these active ingredients to brighten the colour of teeth and no teeth whitening can be achieved without them included. There are a number of ways dental bleaching products can harm teeth.

They can increase the risk of tooth sensitivity; irritate the gums, damage tooth nerves, tissue and blood vessels, damage gum cells, and wear away tooth enamel which can lead to further dental health issues. Dental practitioners are well aware of the effects of bleaching teeth and know how best to mitigate these risks.

One of the reasons why many people end up damaging their teeth with products they use at home is because they overuse them to brighten their teeth more quickly. Having a dentist whiten your teeth for you is more effective and you can be sure to achieve the brightness you want.

This is because the products bought over the counter and the dentist’s bleaching kits are different. The manufacturers of over-the-counter dental bleaching products are legally bound to keep active bleaching ingredients to a minimum level which may not be enough to whiten teeth.

A dental practitioner undergoes training in teeth bleaching treatments, and through this professional training, they are able to use higher levels of active teeth bleaching ingredients safely to produce reliable results.

In addition to this, a dental practitioner will first want to examine the state of your dental health. Teeth that are not in good health will not benefit from teeth whitening or the results will not last long. As with any cosmetic dental treatment, oral health must be good for the investment in treatment to be worthwhile.

Why not have your teeth given the once over for peace of mind before having a teeth whitening procedure carried out? Contact us at Benhill Dental Practice for an appointment with an experienced dentist.

When it comes to dental hygiene Sutton, you may think that brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash regularly have got you covered. However, you also need to add routine checkups with our dentist to ensure that all is well with your oral health. At Benhill Dental Practice, we have been treating patients at our current site for over 80 years, and we understand the importance of preventive dentistry. This is why we have dental hygiene Sutton at the heart of all that we do.

We have two dental hygienists, who are on hand to treat patients by thoroughly cleaning their teeth and gums in a way that toothbrushes and floss threads cannot. We can help make your teeth look lighter and brighter with practice-standard cleaning and address any issues that could lead to gum disease if left untreated. Our hygienists will be able to advise you of any early signs of gum disease, such as swollen gums, and educate you on brushing and flossing techniques to improve your efforts and ensure that you don’t develop serious problems. We don’t want our patients to lose any teeth; however, if you have either due to poor oral hygiene or another reason, such as an accident, we can replace your missing teeth with dental implants.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are tiny screws that can be used to fix your replacement teeth permanently into your mouth. Whether you need to replace a single tooth or a whole set, dental implants will act as bionic roots for your crowns, bridges or dentures. We can attach the screws to your jawbone, and they won’t move at all once the jawbone has healed around them. This will provide the stability your replacement teeth require to stay in your mouth 24-7, meaning you won’t have to take them out of your mouth to clean them or when you hit the sack. In fact, dental implants allow your replacement teeth to act just like your natural ones.

How do I take care of dental implants?

If you’re imagining setting your dentures on the bedside table in a glass of water, you won’t need to do this with dental implants. To take care of your implants and replacement teeth, you simply need to brush, floss and visit us for regular dental checkups. You can also protect your natural teeth and gums from being exposed to bacteria by filling in any gaps, thus reducing the risk of developing any further dental issues. If you take care of your dental implants properly, they should last you a lifetime, so it’s good news all around!

Other benefits

Aside from getting a great smile with no gaps, you should find it easier to chew your food and to speak clearly. You could also reduce any jaw pain you have been experiencing and find that you look younger with dental implants because they can support your face and allow your skin to relax again.

Remember our hygienist!

If you don’t want to lose your teeth, preventive care and our hygienists are here to help you maintain dental hygiene Sutton. If, however, you do require treatment for missing teeth, we can restore your mouth to a happy and functioning one because you deserve it!

Are you self-conscious about stains on your teeth? Maybe you are wondering whether there is anything that can be done to remove the stains and/or help prevent further staining in the future. If this is something that you can relate to, then you are not alone. Here at Benhill Dental Practice, we offer several different treatments that can help with this. To find the most suitable method to meet your unique needs, we must first understand the cause of the staining on your teeth.

Of course, many factors can contribute to staining, including illness, food or drink-induced staining, smoking and even ageing. Depending on the cause of your staining, we may offer one of the following treatments.

Boutique whitening

Boutique whitening is a professional whitening treatment directed by a qualified dentist. It can be undertaken at home, and you can choose between whitening during the day or night, depending on what is most suited to your lifestyle. A gradual change can be seen after a few days, with the optimum results happening around 3 weeks into treatment.

Composite veneers

Composite veneers are predominantly (but not exclusively) used when other methods of teeth whitening have been exhausted. Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain, coloured like natural teeth, that can be bonded on top of your existing teeth. If only one tooth is stained, the shade of veneer can be chosen to lighten its appearance to achieve a close match to the surrounding teeth.

Smoking cessation

Although smoking cessation Sutton may not address stains that are already present, if you are a smoker, then choosing to quit could prevent further staining from occurring due to this habit.

Are there dental benefits to quitting smoking?

In a nutshell, yes! There are several benefits to quitting smoking, which you may not be aware of. Of course, as dental professionals, we need to discuss with our patients the risks created by smoking. At Benhill Dental Practice, we are proud to offer smoking cessation Sutton, helping patients to quit smoking and offering support throughout the process. When you attend regular dental appointments, we can offer you ongoing advice as to how to create or continue with healthy oral habits. It is likely that soon after quitting smoking, you will begin to notice changes in your oral health.

Some of the problems caused by smoking include being more prone to infections due to the effect that tobacco has on gum tissue cells. Bad breath, mouth sores (and poor healing thereof), decreased senses of smell and taste and hairy tongue can also be associated with smoking. Maybe most importantly: smoking is one of the leading causes of mouth cancer. By evaluating these issues caused by smoking, we can immediately understand the benefits that smoking cessation Sutton can have. By stopping smoking you can help to reduce the risk of these problems emerging. If some of these things are already present in your case, then quitting may help reduce their symptoms, and our dentist will be happy to discuss with you practices you can put into place to improve your overall oral health.

At Benhill Dental Practice, there has been a dental practice running for over 80 years on our site, and we are very much part of the community. We care about all of our patients, young and old, and we believe that practising gentle dentistry is essential for ensuring that the whole family is confident about visiting us and having the treatment they need. For those with dental phobia Sutton, we understand that you may have suffered from a bad experience; you may not like the smell of a dental practice, or perhaps you really can’t put your finger on why you don’t fancy visiting a dentist. At Benhill Dental Practice, however, we believe in getting everybody the treatment that they need to have a happy and healthy smile. If you require emergency treatment in the first instance, we are available throughout the whole week, and after this, we will encourage you to come and get the preventive care you need to limit the possibility of further extensive work being required.

I’m scared. How are you going to treat me?!

When you first come to see us, you can take all the time you need to talk about your dental issues, and we will take as much time as you need to explain the treatment you will require. We will never force you to have anything done that you aren’t ready for, nor will we rush you to start or continue with treatment. We are trained and experienced in dealing with dental phobia Sutton, and we never need to use sedation because our treatments are comfortable and we use local anaesthesia when necessary, so you won’t feel a thing. Moreover, with the latest techniques and technology at our disposal, your treatment time will always be as quick or as slow as you want it to be. We will gently encourage you at every stage so that you know exactly what is happening, giving you the confidence that you are in control of your own treatment at all times. With our approach, many nervous patients are now regularly visiting us as required and are having their treatment. We believe that you will be able to feel this way about your treatment too.

Find out more

For an initial consultation, you can come in and meet our friendly team without the pressure of having any treatment. You can familiarise yourself with the practice, and we can discuss your concerns about feeling nervous, as well as what you are hoping to be treated for. Through this discussion, we hope to allay your initial fears and prepare you for the next stages of your treatment. Together, we can find a way forward to getting you a beautiful, healthy and truly happy smile. If you are comfortable, we can also take x-rays of your mouth and check your mouth for signs of oral cancer to ensure that you don’t have this, as well as look for signs of tooth decay, as well as your gum health. With these initial checks, there will be no actual treatment involved, so you can get used to being with us, and we will reassure you at every stage of your dental MOT! We’re ready to get you revved up and ready to go on the road to great oral health.

There are various factors that can affect the appearance of your teeth, and one of them seems to be the presence of silver amalgam fillings that have been used to repair your teeth following damage or tooth decay.

Many patients ask our dentist whether they can change their silver fillings to white ones. Silver fillings are made of a mixture of liquid mercury and metal alloy and are used to fill cavities caused by tooth decay. Silver fillings are very strong; they are a good choice for teeth that need to withstand a lot of force, such as molars. Visiting the dentist regularly and maintaining good oral hygiene can help silver fillings last between 10 to 15 years, and for many years amongst dentists and patients alike, these fillings were the preferred choice for treating decayed teeth.

White fillings, also known as composite fillings, consist of a composite resin, which is a tooth-coloured mixture filled with plastic and resin. The mixture is durable; therefore, unlike silver fillings, white fillings do not expand or contract; silver fillings do because of fluctuating temperatures inside your mouth, making your teeth more prone to damage.

Some studies show that the use of mercury may be hazardous to health. The advantage of white fillings is that they do not contain any mercury or metal. Silver fillings must be mechanically bonded to the teeth and require some teeth to be removed to hold the filling in place. An advantage of white fillings is that they are chemically bonded to the teeth and usually require fewer teeth to be removed.

If you have silver fillings, then you should consider changing to white fillings if your fillings have become damaged or if there are any signs of decay. Replacing fillings that are otherwise in good shape is not recommended since doing so could cause damage to your teeth, and in many cases, this is unnecessary; therefore, your silver fillings should remain. If your tooth has become decayed or damaged, then our dentist here at the Benhill Dental Practice can change your fillings from silver to white fillings Sutton.

A fundamental reason why many patients want to change from silver to white fillings Sutton is because of the unpleasant appearance of silver fillings. Silver fillings may be visible when you laugh or talk, and this can affect your confidence and the appearance of your smile, making you self-conscious about it, which can have a negative impact on other aspects of your life.

If you are unhappy with the appearance of your teeth and find that it is affecting your life, then speak to us at Benhill Dental Practice and find out about converting from silver to white fillings Sutton. Book an appointment today and find out more about changing your silver fillings to white fillings here at Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton. Visit our website or give us a call, and we can make an informed decision on whether or not changing your fillings is a suitable course of action.

You have spent years maintaining your teeth, doing all the things that you have been told to do to sustain a healthy oral cavity. Why not be proud to show them off? Of course, the foods that you eat can discolour your teeth, so here at Benhill Dental Practice, we can treat your teeth sympathetically. You would want to be able to smile broadly and show off your healthy white teeth Sutton. We have all seen the over-whitened beacons that some people produce because they have been overzealous with their home whitening kits. We prefer to produce a tailor-made kit that is specifically designed around your needs.

Your teeth tell a story

Your teeth are indicators of your lifestyle, but they are also an early warning system of something that may be more sinister than just stained teeth. We will always conduct a thorough examination of your teeth regardless of the treatment. The colour of your teeth can be caused by a variety of underlying conditions. You may have a calcium deficiency, celiac disease or even liver disease, to name but a few. Only once we are satisfied that you are not suffering from such diseases will we proceed and show you how we can help you to achieve white teeth Sutton.

Treatment designed around you

Because our treatment is bespoke, we must make sure that the results we are aiming to achieve meet your expectations. To achieve the correct white teeth Sutton, we will take pictures of your teeth so that we can identify the correct shade. Once this step has been completed, we will take an impression or conduct a digital scan, the results of which are then sent off to the laboratory where your custom whitening trays will be created. The solution will be designed to suit you, taking into account your teeth and gums. We consider personal factors such as your dental history, lifestyle and preferences.

When the trays are ready, we will fit them for you at our clinic and explain in detail how to use the syringes. We will also explain how long the trays must remain in situ. You will notice an improvement within a few days after treatment, while more profound results will manifest after approximately three weeks. The whitening treatment comes in a variety of kits, which are suitable for day or night-time treatment. The day kit is designed to be effective with about two hours of wear per day, and the night kit allows for around six hours of wear per night to achieve maximum results.

Maintaining your white teeth

There are certain things that you can do to maintain your healthy white teeth. Reduce your consumption of red wine and coffee as they are common drinks that can discolour your teeth. Smoking or chewing tobacco has become less common, but it is a fact that tobacco does cause dental discolouration. Maintaining regular, six-monthly dental visits and brushing and flossing at least twice a day will not only increase the longevity of your teeth but also maintain their whiteness.