Blog by Caring Salisbury Dentists

Why We're Fanatical About Flossing: The Health Benefits

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

At Gentle Dental, we are firm believers in the power of flossing for your oral health. But did you know that flossing (cleaning between your teeth) isn’t just crucial for preventing gum disease—it could also reduce your risk of serious health conditions like dementia, stroke, and heart disease?

Flossing is an easy, yet often overlooked habit, and many people don't realise how important it is for overall health. In this article, we’ll dive into why flossing should be a daily part of your routine and explain how it connects to preventing various health conditions. As your trusted Salisbury dentist, we are here to help you understand the life-changing benefits of flossing.

The Scientific Link Between Flossing and Long-Term Health

Flossing isn’t just about keeping your teeth and gums clean—it's also a proven way to reduce inflammation throughout your body. Studies have shown that flossing regularly can not only reduce your risk of gum disease but may also help lower your chances of heart disease and stroke. More recent studies suggest that flossing can even decrease your risk of developing dementia.

But why are oral health and systemic health so closely linked?

The answer lies in inflammation. The bacteria that cause gum disease can travel through the bloodstream, potentially affecting your organs and leading to long-term damage. By flossing and cleaning between your teeth regularly, you help remove this bacteria and reduce inflammation, significantly improving your overall health.

How Flossing Helps Prevent Serious Diseases

One of the main health risks associated with poor oral hygiene is the inflammation caused by gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). Gingivitis occurs when plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—builds up on your teeth. If left untreated, this bacteria can enter the bloodstream, potentially causing inflammation in other areas of the body.

Research has found a connection between chronic inflammation from oral bacteria and a variety of serious diseases. These include heart disease, stroke, cancer, and even dementia. The bacteria from the mouth can travel to other parts of the body and contribute to chronic conditions that affect your arteries, heart, and brain.

The Link Between Oral Bacteria and Alzheimer’s Disease

Recent studies have highlighted an intriguing connection between oral bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease. While the exact mechanisms are still being explored, research has shown that people with Alzheimer’s have a higher likelihood of having harmful bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, in their brains. This bacteria is commonly associated with severe gum disease.

These bacteria produce toxins called gingipains, which have been detected in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. In laboratory studies, these toxins have been shown to destroy brain tissue, prompting the brain to produce amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The long-term effects of chronic oral inflammation could contribute to brain damage, highlighting the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

How Flossing Helps

When you floss your teeth, you remove food particles and bacteria from between your teeth and along the gum line, areas where toothbrushes can’t always reach. By using floss or interdental brushes regularly, you can help remove plaque and reduce the risk of gingivitis and other gum diseases. This simple step can prevent the bacteria from spreading to other parts of your body, ultimately reducing the risk of systemic health conditions like heart disease and dementia.

Flossing for All Ages: A Lifelong Habit

It’s never too early—or too late—to start flossing. Whether you're a child, a teenager, or an adult, flossing is essential for long-term oral and overall health. At Gentle Dental, we recommend making flossing part of your daily oral hygiene routine, along with regular brushing and professional dental cleanings. The benefits of flossing are clear, and maintaining a clean mouth is one of the simplest ways to protect your health.

Final Thoughts: Flossing is Essential for Your Health

At Gentle Dental, we want to stress how important flossing is not only for your oral health but for your overall well-being. Regularly cleaning between your teeth helps reduce the risk of gum disease and inflammation, which in turn can help prevent serious health conditions like dementia, stroke, and heart disease.

If you have any questions about flossing, oral hygiene, or your overall dental health, don’t hesitate to contact us at Gentle Dental, your trusted Salisbury dentist. We're here to help you maintain a healthy mouth—and a healthy body.

Gentle Dental January Newsletter

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

As we enter a new decade it gives us time to reflect it has been a busy year for us and we would like to thank you all for the support over the past year and for the 16 years we have been open.

It is a huge compliment for us when you feel confident to refer your friends, family and work colleagues and this you have done in abundance over the past 12 months. The biggest source of new clients who registered with us came on recommendations from you. Thank you for the faith you place in us.

Did you know …..Flossing (cleaning between your teeth) has been scientifically proven to reduce your risk with regard to dementia, stroke and heart disease??

Click here to read our blog.

Team updates

Guess who is back!

Victoria returned from maternity leave on Jan 6th. Little Sophie is now 10 months old and getting cuter by the day. She loves having a look inside our mouths…. a dentist in the making, watch out Rob!

We have also been joined by Jodie, a qualified dental nurse. Jodie first came to us at age 16 for work experience. We sadly didn’t have a position available when she was looking for a training place but she has eventually found her way back to us.

Some of you will be very happy to hear that Patricia will be coming back in February. We know many of you will be very happy to see her back with us on reception.

Sadly our ‘cheeky chappie’ Alfred left us at the end of December. He is starting a barbering course in the new year and hoping to travel the world for a while.

Shilpa, Robs nurse, is now a fully-fledged dental nurse having passed her exams in the summer. However Shilpa will be moving to Kent with her husband and so she is sadly leaving us this January.

Lucy will also be leaving us at the End of January, she is moving back home to Blackpool with her Family.

Save the Date -Saturday Jan 18th at the Guildhall in Salisbury.

Are you looking to improve certain aspects in your life but don’t know where to start?

We are part of a group of health and wellbeing professionals, all of whom are local businesses. In conversation we realised that lots of people want to improve things in their life but don’t really know where to start. So, to make it easy for you we will all be in one spot for the day. You can have all of your questions answered and find out the best way forward for you to achieve the health and wellbeing you want. There will be 20+ exhibitors including Not just Backs, Coach me slim, Memory Optician, Maria Olsen Homeopathy to name just a few.

Pop in to say hello. It is free entry and we are always happy to see familiar faces to chat to. Rob will be one of the speakers on at 12.30 to give information on how flossing can protect against dementia, strokes and heart disease.

Find out all of the information here

Watch this space

We recently reviewed our business plan, drawn up in 2017. Now that was a laugh! (We have revisited it numerous times but now we are just going to scrap it and start again!). It stated we were going to get another dentist, get them busy 2 days per week and then put in a downstairs treatment room.

Despite our best efforts taking on another dentist just has not worked out so it is currently still just Rob and Niamh on the clinical end of things. We will keep working on this but in the meantime for those of you desperately hanging in there and struggling with the stairs, we are having a stair lift fitted and hopefully in place by the end of January.

Coronavirus and safe dental appointments in Salisbury

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

With everything that is going on with Covid 19 (Coronavirus) it is easy to miss the beauty of the season and the anticipation of long hot days (fingers crossed) but it is not long until the clocks change and that ‘summer feeling’ will hit us all. It is so heartening to see the daffodils and catkins when out an about and the stretch in the evenings always lifts my spirits.

With regard to the Coronavirus we wanted to reassure you and allay any concerns you may have about appointments. As a dental practice we are highly regulated regarding our cross-infection control procedures and we wanted to let you know that we haven’t had to alter anything we do with regard to cleanliness and hygiene in the light of the current pandemic.

All of our instruments are either disposable or sterilisable. The checks and balances we have to carry out on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis ensure all of our procedures are to a consistently high standard, all of our equipment functions as it should when cleaning and sterilising instruments and the surfaces in the treatment rooms are wiped down between every client. Continuous compulsory annual training and observation means all of the staff are carrying out all of the procedures to the proper standard every time.

The Coronavirus as you know is passed on by contact and as we wear gloves for treatments this hugely reduces the risk of the virus being passed to you by a staff member.

The current advice is that the spread of the viral load is not high until you have the symptoms of the illness (cough, high temperature). All of the staff are aware that as soon as they experience any of these symptoms that they are to remain off work and self-isolate as per the government guidelines.

We do fully understand some of you may have concerns and hope that we have allayed your fears. Remember the best way to fight illness is to stay healthy. So, eat healthily, exercise to keep your body healthy, keep your mouth healthy with your routine appointments and most importantly keep your mind healthy.

It is a concerning time for all of us but we need to keep our heads. We would urge you to filter what you hear in the media and follow the advice given by the professionals. Here is the link to the NHS and gov.uk website which is updated daily so you will always have the most up to date advice and information …without the media hype.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

We look forward to seeing you all and Happy Spring

Toothache - what to do guide

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A toothache can be one of the most unpleasant experiences. Whether it's a dull, throbbing pain or a sharp, shooting sensation, a toothache can disrupt your daily life and leave you wondering what to do next. If you're experiencing tooth pain, it's important to take action right away to address the issue. As your trusted Salisbury dentist, Gentle Dental is here to help guide you through what steps to take and when to seek professional care.

Common Causes of Toothache

Before diving into solutions, it’s helpful to understand the potential causes of your toothache. Some of the most common reasons include:

Tooth decay: A cavity or an untreated dental issue can cause pain.
Gum infection: Infections in the gums can lead to swelling and discomfort.
Abscessed tooth: A serious infection at the root of the tooth can cause sharp, throbbing pain.
Dental trauma: An injury or chip in the tooth can cause pain.
Teeth grinding: Habitual grinding or clenching can strain teeth and gums, causing discomfort.

Steps to Take When You Have Toothache

Rinse with Warm Salt Water A simple solution of warm salt water can help soothe gum irritation and clear out debris from between your teeth. This can also reduce swelling and inflammation around the affected area.
Apply a Cold Compress A cold compress applied to the outside of your cheek near the painful area can reduce swelling and numb the pain. Do not apply ice directly to the tooth or gums, as this may worsen discomfort.
Take Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or paracetamol can help temporarily relieve tooth pain. Be sure to follow the recommended dosage and avoid placing aspirin directly on the gums or tooth, as this can cause irritation.
Avoid Certain Foods Until you can see us, try to avoid very hot, cold, or sugary foods and drinks, as they can exacerbate the pain. Opt for soft, room-temperature foods to reduce irritation.
Floss Gently Sometimes, food particles stuck between your teeth can cause discomfort. Gentle flossing can help remove any debris without irritating the affected area further.

When to See a Dentist for Toothache

While the above methods can provide temporary relief, it’s important to see a dentist as soon as possible if the pain persists. Here are some signs that you should seek professional care immediately:

Severe pain: Intense or persistent pain that lasts more than a day.
Swelling or fever: This could indicate an infection that requires immediate attention.
Difficulty swallowing or breathing: These symptoms may suggest a serious infection or abscess.
Pain after injury: If your tooth pain is due to an accident or trauma, it’s crucial to see a dentist right away.

At Gentle Dental, our team is experienced in diagnosing and treating all types of toothache. Whether you need a filling, root canal, or just a thorough cleaning, we offer the care and attention you need to feel better.

Why Choose Gentle Dental for Toothache Relief?

When it comes to tooth pain, we're a trusted Salisbury dentist and provide compassionate, professional care. We offer:

Same-day emergency appointments for urgent dental issues.
Comprehensive treatment options to address the root cause of your toothache.
A comfortable, welcoming environment for all of our patients.

If you're experiencing a toothache and need fast, effective relief, contact Gentle Dental today to schedule an appointment with our expert team.

Oral Health and Brushing for Children with Autism

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Maintaining good oral health is essential for everyone, but for children with autism, developing effective tooth brushing habits can be particularly challenging. Sensory sensitivities, difficulty with routines, and resistance to oral care are common obstacles. However, with patience and the right strategies, you can make brushing teeth a more manageable and even enjoyable experience for your child. With Gentle Dental, the clue is the in the name, we're Salisbury dentists with experience with nervous and neurodiverse patients.

Choosing the Right Toothbrush for Children with Autism

When selecting a toothbrush for children with autism, it’s important to choose one that suits your child’s specific needs. Look for a soft-bristled toothbrush that is gentle on sensitive gums. The size of the toothbrush head should be appropriate for your child’s mouth to ensure a comfortable brushing experience. Additionally, choose a toothbrush in a color or style that appeals to your child. Some children respond better to bright, colorful brushes, or those with familiar characters, making brushing more engaging.

Step-by-Step Guide to Introduce Tooth Brushing

For some children with autism, the sensory experience of brushing teeth can be overwhelming. Therefore, it’s important to introduce tooth brushing gradually. Here are some tips to help make the process smoother:

Start Slowly: Begin by allowing your child to hold the toothbrush and explore it without the pressure of brushing. This will help them become accustomed to the look, feel, and texture of the toothbrush.
Touching the Lips and Mouth: Gently use the toothbrush to touch your child’s lips or just inside their mouth. This will help desensitize the area and make the sensation of brushing more tolerable.
Use Visual and Verbal Cues: Teach your child to “open wide” before brushing, so they understand the routine. You can use simple verbal cues or visual aids to encourage cooperation.
Modeling: Show your child how you brush your own teeth. Children with autism often learn by watching others, and modeling good brushing habits can help them feel more comfortable with the process.

Establishing a Consistent Tooth Brushing Routine

Children with autism tend to thrive on routine and familiarity. Establishing a consistent tooth brushing schedule can help your child feel more at ease with the process. Here’s how you can build a successful routine:

Set a regular time each day for tooth brushing, ideally after meals or before bedtime. Consistency is key.
Use a timer or visual schedule to help your child understand how long they need to brush. A timer can also be a helpful tool for reducing anxiety about the process.
Use positive reinforcement. Praise your child when they brush their teeth successfully, or offer small rewards for making progress.

Preparing Your Child for a Dental Visit

Dental visits can also be a source of anxiety for children with autism. To help ease your child into dental appointments, here are some preparation strategies:

Practice in Advance: Use the toothbrush and mirror to practice sitting in the dental chair. If possible, visit the dentist's office beforehand to familiarize your child with the environment.
Social Stories or Visual Aids: Consider using social stories or visual guides to explain what will happen during the visit. This can reduce any fear or confusion your child may have about the experience.
Positive Reinforcement: After each visit, praise your child for being brave and cooperative. Rewards or a fun activity after the appointment can help create positive associations with dental care.

Additional Resources for Parents of Children with Autism

Establishing good oral hygiene habits for children with autism can take time, but with patience and persistence, your child will learn to understand the importance of brushing. For more information, tips, and tools to support your child’s tooth brushing routine and prepare for a dental visit, check out the following links:

By integrating these strategies into your child’s daily routine, you can help foster a positive attitude towards oral care and ensure their teeth and gums stay healthy for years to come.

If you or a family member has autism and wish to speak to a Salisbury dentist who understands, please get in touch or come see us in our practice.

Celebration......and Breathe!

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Belated Easter wishes to you all. We hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather; in your garden, balcony or whatever inch of space you managed to carve out for yourself. The wishes are late as working on the computer took second place as we took on a ‘gardening project' and thus the Celebration. We recently added a small conservatory/porch on our house and realised we now had the perfect place for a shaded seating area. So with bits scavenged from elsewhere in the garden and three days of hard graft, we ate dinner in the newly created space. As always it was a great sense of achievement.

We try to provide useful information in these messages and this time it is all about lungs and breathing, all information that has come our way from medical and fitness professionals.

As we are all aware the lungs are badly affected by this virus so understanding your lungs, how they work and how to breathe may be of use, should any of us become ill. Breathing exercises are also regularly used as a relaxation technique so should it all become too stressful at any stage of isolation it may be a useful exercise to have to hand.

There are two videos. One, available now on our Instagram and Facebook, is by Rhian from Not Just Backs Osteopaths and explains the mechanics of breathing and advice on how to breathe. The second, which will be on our social media from Monday, is by a Pilates Institute qualified instructor Sara of Fitness Design. This demonstrates the actual breathing exercises which will both help you to relax and help to keep your lungs healthy. If you do not have access to social media please reply to this and we will try to email the videos to you.

The final advice is from a Respiratory Physiotherapist at QE in Birmingham and really important to know should anyone have symptoms of the virus. It should reduce the need for oxygen therapy, provide an improvement in drainage and help minimise collapse of the small airways. It may also reduce the need for hospitalisation.

It is really important that you spend as little time as possible lying on your back. Swap between side lying and front lying in each case with pillows under your pelvis so your head is approximately 30 degrees below the pelvis - two pillows should achieve this. Take 5-6 deep breaths and hold for a few seconds on the last breath.

As always it is important you call 111 and seek medical advice should you have any symptoms. These breathing exercises are purely additional knowledge which may help alleviate symptoms and help with comfort but are not a replacement for proper medical advice and intervention should it be necessary.

On a lighter note, all of the Gentle Dental team are keeping well. We have all signed up to online training and will have our first Zoom call next week to discuss the training and perhaps even do some online training as a group. This way when we do get to reopen, we will be right up to date and ready to go!

Keep well and safe.

Warmest wishes

Rob, Niamh & the fabulous Gentle Dental team.

And what has food got to do with dentistry?

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Hello again.

So, what has food got to do with dentistry? Not a lot really other than passing the time. Thankfully until now the weather has been fabulous so we’ve been doing lots of gardening, walking and cycling so with the advent of rain…….cooking.

Rob treated us all to a slap-up feast with scallops, squid and son-in-law eggs (boiled eggs dipped in tamarind and deep fired). Very yummy

Ruaidhri (on his day off) and me had a bake-off moment when I ventured into bread making following my mum’s Irish soda bread recipe and he made a Paul Hollywood Focaccia. And guess who did the judging? (Well he does have similar coloured hair and beard)

Saoirse is technically still at Uni so it is lectures and work most days for her. At least we are keeping her well-fed.

When we are not cooking/baking we are spending a lot of time on webinars and official websites making ourselves aware of the guidance on how for when we reopen and keeping in touch with the team on Zoom and Whatsapp. There is no doubt the way we work and your visit with the clinic will be very different and we want to make sure we hit the ground running when we are allowed back to work. Of course, all of this changes daily but as soon as we have a definitive picture for the way forward, we will share it with you.

Finally, we now have the promised video on breathing techniques for you if you want to have a watch. We are posting on Facebook and Instagram several times each week so if you do use either, follow us to keep up to date on a more regular basis.

We look forward to seeing you all in the (hopefully) near future.

Keep well and safe

Keeping up with dentistry in and out of the garden

Fri, 15 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Who would have thought back in March that we would still be communicating with you in a blog in mid-May rather than seeing you all at the dental practice!

However, we have been keeping busy and Rob has been keeping his dentistry skills up with root extractions! This was certainly a difficult one and did require a bit of surgery – tree surgery that is.

As many of you may remember we inherited a very overgrown, ‘full of sheds full of stuff’ garden when we moved into our current house. Every year we tackle another patch to tame and sort out. This year is the front garden so with time on our hands we are making progress. The patch in this picture represent about 10% of the lawn we will need to dig and turf. Got a long way to go!

It has been slightly hampered by the climbing wall Ruaidhri built but recent announcements mean he may not need it for much longer as he may be able to go climbing at the coast.

On that note it would appear that dentistry, although not listed anywhere in the published guidance falls into the ‘step 3’ category when it comes to reopening - July 4th. Obviously, this comes with all the provisos outlined by the PM but let’s hope it all works and we can get back to some semblance of normality.

As well as gardening we have been spending a lot of time on webinars and reading research papers as well as seeking expert advice on how to move forward after this. We hope to have formulated a more definitive plan soon and will communicate this to you over the next few weeks. There is no doubt that every walk of life, including your dental appointment, will be a little bit different moving forward.

Keep safe, stay alert and keep an eye out for our emails.

And we're off! Gentle Dental practice is re-opening

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Hi again everyone.

So, although we have been open (in some fashion) since June 8th we are now finally there. The dental practice will be up and running from Monday 13th July. We have spent the last few weeks working out how things will be, who needs to be where and when and most importantly how we ensure you and we are completely safe.

Risk assessments are done, signage is in place and we have practiced how we guide you through the building so that it now feels (slightly) more comfortable for us. Our main aim is to ensure that when you arrive at the practice you feel welcome, comfortable, safe and guided.

We’ve made 2 videos (you lucky people!) to explain how things will be for now as it is so hard to get it all down in writing.

Our first video is Just a quick message from us (Rob and Niamh) to explain a little bit about how your appointments will be for the "new normal"

Our second video is of your new journey through the practice, where you will need to enter the practice and how we will guide you through the practice. It would be really useful for you to watch this before your next appointment. Please click here to view.

Thank you all for your patience during this period. We are working our way through our lists as quickly as we can. Understandably many of you have a lot of questions and we want to take the time to reassure and advise you. So, keep asking the questions so you are as prepared and as comfortable as possible when you attend.

Now the last few weeks have been hard work but we have managed to fit in some fun as well. The team had a beautiful picnic lunch together in the Cathedral Close on one of those fabulously warm and sunny days (note Rob taking and afternoon nap) and an hilarious, socially distanced birthday celebration with Victoria. Just try blowing out birthday candles with a visor in place!! Just take a look here at the video! Eating cake was also interesting!

We had our face mask fit testing training just outside Bath and it was so exciting to actually have an excuse for a day out.

Lockdown madness was definitely confirmed when we decided we wanted fish and chips at the beach and cycled to Avon beach at Muddeford - almost 95K. At lease we ensured we worked off all of the calories in advance and the fish and chips tasted amazing.

And Rob has decided to take up modelling... He just cant decide between colourful shirt or baker model so has combined the two.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you all and will all be working very hard to make your visit with us as comfortable and fun as it was BC19 (Before Covid19)

Keep well, keep safe and see you all soon.

Rob, Niamh and The Gentle Dental Team

Watch a guided journey through our dental practice in Salisbury

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

We felt a video of what your journey will look like once we reopen the Gentle Dental practice in Salisbury would be useful. We do hope you enjoy it.

We are really looking forward to seeing you at the practice soon.

*Please note the treatment room doors will be shut during appointments. For the ease of shooting the video these have been left open.

Certainly not 'all work and no play...'

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The last few blogs have all been about reopening, cleaning and what to expect when you visit with us so we decided to start this newsletter with news about the team.

We managed a weekend away at Kimmeridge in our battered but lovely campervan Alice. We were very lucky as the weather was warm and sunny and we even managed to have a drink overlooking Corfe Castle - having done a 16km coast walk to get to there. We really must choose a campsite with a pub closer to hand next time!

Sadly, just like so many of you, we missed out on the annual Egan get together in Ireland. So instead we held a socially distanced visit with some of the Irish part of the family who live 'over here' at my (Niamhs) brothers in London. It was so good to see everyone again especially our beautiful nieces, even if we couldn't give them a hug.

And oh my but how time flies. Believe it or not Victoria has now been with us for 4 years and what a lot she has packed in. During that time she has gotten engaged, married, had a beautiful daughter Sophie and has still found time to do other things. During lockdown she has been getting all green fingered and has produced plants, both lovely to look at and to eat. After her family (and of course her work!!!) her big love is making and decorating celebration cakes for friends and family. Feast your eyes on these cakes. We've not tasted one yet but they sure look beautiful.

Lucy, or as we refer to her 'new Lucy' versus Lucy who was with us in 2019, is our newest member of the team and is busy, busy on their farm when not at work. Currently, like so many associated with farming, she is a farmers widow as her husband Adam is busy harvesting 2000 acres of grain. So she is occupied looking after their menagerie of calves, sheep, chickens, horses and dogs as well as making time for Rowan, their 5 years old son. She even manages to fit in an occasional dip in the pool.

More about the remaining staff members next time.

Hopefully for those of you who have been in to see us it has been more normal than you thought it would be. And we have to say it has been so good to welcome you back and get a semblance of normality into all of our lives.

We want to address the whole face mask thing. To wear or not to wear...that is the question!

We have discussed and risk assessed this as a team and we feel that the procedures we have in place for social distancing both for the team and clients negates the need for this when attending the practice. However should you feel more comfortable wearing one to your appointment please feel free to do so.

Below is a brief explanation as to why this may seem different to what you read in the press.

During lockdown, as well as having fun (see previous blogs), we as a private practice have been on a roller coaster ride. It turns out dental practices were unnecessarily closed down, not by the government but by the bodies who regulate us - Office of the Chief Dental Officer (OCDO) backed up by the General Dental Council (GDC) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The OCDO very quickly abandoned ship with regard to private dentistry advising they regulated only NHS dentistry. Meanwhile our indemnity companies insisted we still had to follow the advice of the OCDO. Limbo!!

After it was announced we could reopen, in order to fill the gap for private dentistry, the Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) issued guidance and this is what we are following -having been left hanging by all the other bodies. In this guidance it advises that 'clinical discretion and risk assessment' should be used regarding, among other issues, face coverings for clients.

Finally it has been really rewarding to be back at work and to finish outstanding treatments that started back in March. Some of our lovely clients have been waiting all through lockdown for veneers to be fitted, whitening to be started, to get their next set of Invisalign aligners so they can continue their journey towards a gorgeous smile. We hope to be able to share some of their pictures in our next newsletter.

In the meantime, just what is Rob going to do about this little fella's smile?

Tune in next time for the latest on 'the Fugglers' journey!

Keep well and safe and we are looking forward to welcoming you all over the next few months.

Rob, Niamh and the Gentle Dental Team

Oral B Electric toothbrush range

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to electric toothbrushes, Oral-B is one of the most popular and trusted brands. Whether you’re looking for a basic model or a high-tech brushing experience, Oral-B has a range of electric toothbrushes to suit every need. As a Salisbury dentist, I keep on top of the latest releases and even get to trial them. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the different series—Genius, Smart, Pro, and iO—so you can make an informed decision the next time you’re shopping for an Oral-B electric toothbrush.

1. Oral-B Pro Electric Toothbrush: The Basics

If you’re after a simple and effective electric toothbrush without all the gadgets, the Oral-B Pro series is a great option. This basic model offers one-button on/off functionality, making it incredibly easy to use. It doesn’t come with a smartphone app, but it does include a pressure sensor that warns you when you're brushing too hard. The pressure warning light appears on the handle (on one side) to let you know when to ease up, which helps prevent gum damage.

Key Features:

Basic functionality with no app connectivity
Pressure sensor to prevent excessive brushing force
Ideal for those who want simplicity without extra features

2. Oral-B Smart Series: Smarter Features for Better Care

The Oral-B Smart Series takes things up a notch with 6 different cleaning modes to address all your oral care needs. These modes include:

Daily Care
Deep Clean
Gum Care
Whitening
Tongue Cleaning
Sensitive Mode

Each mode is optimized for different brushing goals, and some may require specific brush heads for optimal results. The Smart Series also has pressure control technology, which reduces brushing speed when you apply too much pressure, ensuring a gentler clean. Additionally, it features a free-standing timer to help you monitor how long you’re brushing, complete with smiley faces and stars to let you know when you've brushed for the recommended time.

Key Features:

6 cleaning modes for personalized brushing
Pressure control to protect gums from over-brushing
Timer with visual feedback to encourage proper brushing duration
Ideal for those who want more customization but don’t need an app

3. Oral-B Genius: The Intelligent Brushing Experience

If you’re looking for an electric toothbrush with advanced technology, the Oral-B Genius range is your answer. This model introduces intelligent brushing systems and connects to an app on your smartphone, providing real-time feedback to improve your brushing habits. One standout feature is Position Detection Technology, which gives you a visual guide of the areas you’re brushing, ensuring you don’t miss any spots. The Genius series also includes Gum Guard technology, a 360 SmartRing, and Pressure Control alerts, which encircle the brush handle to indicate when you’re brushing too hard.

The Genius toothbrush offers up to 8 cleaning modes, including:

Daily Clean
Gum Care
Sensitive and Super Sensitive
Whitening
Deep Clean
Intense
Tongue Clean

As with other models, certain modes require different brush heads to work effectively.

Key Features:

Position detection to track brushing areas
360 SmartRing for full pressure alerts
8 cleaning modes for a customizable brushing experience
App connectivity for real-time feedback and personalized progress tracking

4. Oral-B iO: Cutting-Edge Technology for a Professional Clean

The Oral-B iO series is the brand's most innovative model to date. Powered by a magnetic motor, the iO delivers a quieter brushing experience with fewer vibrations, while driving each bristle individually for a more precise clean. It gives you that fresh-from-the-hygienist feeling every time you brush—if used correctly.

One of the standout features of the iO is its AI teeth tracking, which monitors and shows you which tooth surfaces you’ve brushed, ensuring you don’t miss any spots. The brush even reminds you when it’s time to change the brush head, and it rewards you with a smiley face when you’ve brushed well.

Key Features:

Magnetic motor for a quieter, more precise brushing experience
AI tracking to monitor brushing progress
Reminders for brush head replacement
Smartphone app connectivity for personalized feedback

Which Oral-B Electric Toothbrush Should You Choose?

The Oral-B electric toothbrush range offers a variety of models to suit different needs and budgets. Here’s a quick rundown to help you decide which one is best for you:

Oral-B Pro: Perfect for those who prefer a no-fuss, basic toothbrush without the need for app connectivity or complex features. It gets the job done and is great for those who like simplicity.
Oral-B Smart Series: Ideal for people who want more cleaning modes and pressure control technology without going all-in on advanced features or an app. A great mid-range option for those who want more customization.
Oral-B Genius: A high-tech choice for users who want intelligent feedback, real-time brushing guidance, and app integration. The Genius is perfect for anyone looking for cutting-edge features to track and improve their brushing habits.
Oral-B iO: The ultimate choice for those who want a luxurious brushing experience with advanced technology, AI tracking, and a quieter, more precise motor. Perfect for tech lovers or anyone wanting a professional-level clean every time.

Final Thoughts on Oral-B Electric Toothbrushes

No matter which Oral-B electric toothbrush you choose, research shows that electric toothbrushes in general remove more plaque than manual brushing, leading to healthier gums and teeth. The choice ultimately comes down to how much you’re willing to spend and how much technology you want in your oral care routine.

For a simple, no-nonsense brush, the Oral-B Pro will serve you well. If you’re a fan of tech and want an intelligent brushing system, go for the Oral-B Genius or iO for the full experience. And for those in between, the Smart Series offers a balanced mix of features and performance.

If you'd like more advice on brushing or your general teeth health, feel free to contact your favourite Salisbury dentist, or pop into the practice.

Stay tuned for next month’s blog, where I’ll be diving into the Philips Sonicare range to help you find the perfect toothbrush for your needs!

Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrush

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to electric toothbrushes, Philips Sonicare is one of the most well-known brands on the market. They offer a range of models designed to suit various needs and preferences, including the Prestige, DiamondClean, ProtectiveClean, ExpertClean, and DailyClean. The primary differences between these models lie in their features, price points, and the technology used. As a Salisbury dentist, I often get asked about specific toothbrushes, so let’s dive into what each model offers and help you choose the right one for your oral care routine.

Philips Sonicare Technology: How It Works

Philips Sonicare toothbrushes use sonic technology to deliver up to 62,000 brush head movements per minute. This high-frequency motion creates microbubbles that gently drive fluid between your teeth, effectively removing plaque and debris from hard-to-reach areas. The sweeping action of the bristles also helps to clean along the gum line, promoting healthier gums and cleaner teeth.

Philips Sonicare Toothbrush Models Explained

1. Philips Sonicare Prestige 9900

The Philips Sonicare Prestige 9900 is the brand’s most advanced model, featuring AI-powered technology. This intelligent toothbrush adapts to your brushing habits in real-time, adjusting the intensity if you brush too hard. Unlike other models, it doesn’t require multiple modes—the brush automatically adjusts to suit your needs. The Prestige 9900 connects to a smartphone app to track your brushing progress and provide personalized feedback to ensure you’re covering all areas of your mouth.

Key Features:

AI-powered motion sensing and intensity adjustment
Smartphone app connectivity for real-time feedback
Automatic mode adjustments based on brushing pressure
Sleek and modern design for a premium brushing experience

2. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean combines advanced technology with smart features to deliver a thorough clean. It connects to the Sonicare app, giving you a progress report to track your improvements over time. The DiamondClean features four cleaning modes: Clean, White+, Gum Health, and Deep Clean+. Each mode comes with three intensity settings, allowing you to choose between a more powerful clean or a gentler approach for sensitive teeth and gums. The smart sensor alerts you if you’re applying too much pressure, and the toothbrush automatically selects the appropriate mode based on the brush head you’ve attached.

Key Features:

Four cleaning modes: Clean, White+, Gum Health, Deep Clean+
Three intensity settings for personalized brushing
Smart sensor to warn against excessive pressure
Automatic mode selection based on brush head used
Smartphone app connectivity for progress tracking
Reminder for brush head replacement

3. Philips Sonicare ExpertClean

The Philips Sonicare ExpertClean offers many of the same features as the DiamondClean, with a slightly simplified design. It includes three cleaning modes: Clean, White, and Gum Care, along with three intensity levels. While it lacks the whitening mode of the DiamondClean, it still connects to the Sonicare app, provides pressure alerts, and includes brush head replacement reminders. This makes the ExpertClean a great choice for those looking for a solid, connected toothbrush without all the extra modes.

Key Features:

Three cleaning modes: Clean, White, and Gum Care
Three intensity settings
Pressure sensor to prevent aggressive brushing
Smartphone app connectivity for progress tracking
Brush head replacement reminder

4. Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean

The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean is a more basic model without advanced gadgetry but still provides excellent cleaning power. This model features just one mode for effective plaque removal, and while it doesn’t connect to an app, it still offers key smart features like the pressure sensor, which alerts you if you’re brushing too hard. Additionally, the smart sensor reminds you when it’s time to replace the brush head.

Key Features:

One cleaning mode for everyday use
Pressure sensor to protect gums from excessive pressure
Smart sensor to remind you when to replace the brush head
Affordable price point

Which Philips Sonicare Toothbrush Should You Choose?

When deciding which Philips Sonicare toothbrush to buy, consider what features matter most to you:

For advanced technology and personalized feedback, the Prestige 9900 with AI-driven intensity adjustments and app connectivity is the top choice.
If you want multiple cleaning modes and smart features, the DiamondClean offers comprehensive options and the ability to track progress over time.
The ExpertClean is perfect for those who want a connected toothbrush with a few cleaning modes and intensity settings, but without the higher price tag of the DiamondClean.
If you’re looking for a simpler model at a lower price, the ProtectiveClean offers a single mode, pressure sensor, and brush head replacement reminder for effective daily cleaning.

Conclusion: Why Philips Sonicare is a Top Choice for Teeth Cleaning

Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes are known for their sleek designs, cutting-edge technology, and ability to provide a superior clean compared to manual brushing. With features like smart sensors, mode selection, and app connectivity, they offer a personalized brushing experience that helps improve both oral health and overall well-being.

Whether you’re looking for a basic model or an advanced, AI-powered toothbrush, Philips Sonicare has a range of options to suit every need and budget. The research suggests that using an electric toothbrush like Philips Sonicare can remove 7 to 15 times more plaque than manual brushing, ensuring a cleaner, healthier mouth and reducing the risk of gum disease and cavities.

By considering factors like price, functionality, and the features you value most, you can confidently choose the best Philips Sonicare toothbrush for your oral care routine.

Gentle Dental is a Salisbury dentist with lots of experience dealing with nervous clients. Get in touch if you'd like to discuss how we can help with your smile. Happy brushing!

Summer Newsletter

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

I hope you have all been enjoying the wonderful English summer and this one has certainly lived up to the reputation, throwing every kind of weather (other than snow and frost) at us in quick succession. Apologies that I have been so tardy with a news update. That task tends to fall to a Friday afternoon and I seem to have prioritised getting away in our camper or going for a walk/bike ride! I was a bit shocked to realise it was three months ago since I last communicated with you other than procedural updates. The summer months have definitely gone by quickly. I'm already noticing a slightly autumnal feel to the mornings...and people have started mentioning the 'C' word and how it will soon be here!!

Team News

Victoria

I promised news about the remaining team members when we did the last newsletter but feel I must firstly get the baby news in.

Victoria and Craig welcomed their second daughter, Rosie Emma Hislop on July 22nd. Both Victoria and Rosie are doing well and little Sophie has taken to sisterhood like a duck to water.

Jo

With Victoria on maternity leave for the next year we desperately needed another team member on the reception/admin side and welcome Jo to the team in June.

‘Originally from the North, I moved to Salisbury 2 years ago with my husband and 2 little girls. We are really beginning to settle down and lay some roots, after 3 years living in the Channel Islands. We have recently bought our house, both of my children are settled at their schools and now I have a great new job to focus on. I’m feeling very lucky to be working with such a lovely team! It’s been such a tough year, so I’m really enjoying making the most of the extra freedom we have at the moment, and my weekends have usually been filled with trips to Paultons Park, visits to the beach and walking in the New Forest. I’m looking forward to some trips away in our camper van soon, there are so many amazing places to visit on our doorstep. When we haven’t been clocking up the miles road tripping, we’ve really enjoyed some quiet afternoons in the garden. My girls love nothing more than splashing around in the paddling pool or playing with the sand pit. My youngest daughter loves digging for worms and turning over bricks looking for bugs. She certainly didn’t inherit that from me!’

Patricia

Long standing client will know Patricia from years ago. She worked with us from 2006 for 2017 when she retired. Obviosuly she missed us so much that she came back!

‘I had just started back at Gentle Dental working part time when lockdown happened. Until recently I have been working from home but I am now back in the practice one day a week. I’m really enjoying this as it is nice to actually be with the rest of the team and to see some of you face to face. I do enjoy home working as well though as I spend lot sof time making calls to you all and you all know how I love to chat! This also allows me to spend more time with my dogs, King Charles Spaniels. Sadly Dolly, one of my dogs passed away a few months ago so myself and the boys miss her terribly. However the gap is filled at times as I also look after my daughter’s dog Carlos (the very tired white one below) one day a week. They certainly keep me busy (and fit) when I’m not working for Gentle Dental.

Niamh and Rob

Rob and I have had an enjoyable summer. We have spent lots of weekends away in our camper walking and cycling; as well as spending time in the garden. There havve been many learning curves for a novice gardener!

As our project to revamp the front garden was done in the original lockdown it was a case of make do and recycle. I therefore decided to keep this theme going and have scavenged plants/cuttings from friends’ gardens so the flowerbed is eclectic to say the least. I seem to have spend the whole summer waiting for things to bloom. I suddenly realise why people go for bedding plants so this is on the ‘to do’ list for next year.

Ireland finally allowed travel and I have managed to go home several times to see my family now. So many people are still waiting to be able to visit family so I realise how fortunate I have been. My dad celebrated his 90th birthday in June and my parents 60th wedding anniversary was in July. The planned big family get together unfortunately couldn’t happen but we did manage a small gathering. BTW my parents garden is what I aspire to – as you can see, I have a long way to go!

Gentle Dental news

As any of you who have recently been in or contacted us to make an appointment will know, our diaries are currently very booked up. We just want to let you know that we are addressing the situation and are currently installing a 3rd treatment room, just down the corridor from the hygiene room. We are interviewing for a dentist or dental therapist to join the team and this will ease the situation in both Rob and my diary.

A dental therapist can do all of the hygiene work but can also do fillings. The plan would be to book simple fillings in his/her diary thus freeing up space in Robs for more complex treatment. I will not be dropping any of my clinical days but we hope to provide at least one extra day of hygiene each week which should make bookings easier.

Jessica who has been with us as a trainee for the last 6 months has decided dental nursing is not for her so has left us for pastures new.

Dental nurses are like gold dust at the moment and we are recruiting both qualified and trainees. In the interim we have got our long term locum Kat and Amanda who has worked as a locum with us in the past. This is topped up with agency when we cannot book them so apologies for different faces when you attend. We have just today taken on a trainee and a qualified nurse so hopefully they will become long term members of the team. To reassure those of you who prefer your appointment in my room without a nurse, I will be having the trainee in with me at times but only for note taking and cleaning/sterilisng training. I have worked on my own for too many years to change. I've tried it and didn't like it - old dog, new tricks and all that!

We want to say a big thank you to all of you for kindly wearing your masks when you attend. We have many vulnerable clients and for some this is the only place they have been since the initial lockdown started. Ensuring they feel relaxed and safe is important to us. We really apppreciated how kind and helpful you have all been about this.

Finally, we are continuing to work with the door locked and ‘ring the bell for entry’ system. Any of you who remember our entrance at the side many years ago will know that this is how we operated back then also. Many of our admin team have days in which they work from home answering calls and dealing with emails etc. Whilst this does mean the phones are well staffed it does make it very busy for the person physically in the building to deal with checking everyone in and out following appointments. Where possible if you do want to make appointments or discuss treatment options it would be a great help if you called or emailed. If the phone is not answered it means the team are tied up with other clients but if you leave a voicemail with your name and number they will call back as soon as they’re free. Thank you in advance for your help with this.

Here’s hoping for a sunny end to August and an Indian summer for September.

Keep well and safe.

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team

Gentle Dental Day Trip

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Two weeks ago we found ourselves out and about on a little road trip.Rob, Niamh, Jodie, Anu and myself (Lucy) decided we quite fancied a trip the dentistry show which was being held at London Olympia. It was the first time the show has been held since before COVID, so we saw it as a good opportunity to get out and find out about all the new and exciting things dentistry may have to offer.We started the day early by piling into Rob and Niamh’s car and setting off on our mini adventure. It was not long before we decided it was coffee break time. So, a quick stop at Fleet services to fill up on coffee and hot chocolate and we were back on the road.

We arrived at Olympia (after much deliberation about which was the best way to go) and I have to say we were really impressed with the COVID measures they had in place to protect us. We had to show our COVID passport/proof of double vaccination or no entry, and there were lots of hand gel stations all around the exhibition.It wasn’t long before we were filling our bags with as many freebies as we could lay our hands on. We all had to promise Niamh that none of it (tatt as she callled it) would end up back at the practice. The competition was to see who could charm their way to the most freebies. I won with Rob a close second. So after being handed many, many, pens, keyrings, toothpaste samples and whitening strips it was time to get down to serious business.

Rob and I sniffed out the gin bar and made ourselves known! Jodie, Rob and I had a delicious G&T (it was past 12pm by this point I should add) whilst learning about some new and exciting products that were coming onto the market. We had lost Niamh by this stage, she was out on the hunt for new kit to put into our brand-new treatment room. She wanted to buy an airflow machine, which I am sure you have all experienced, so when our new Dental Therapist starts with us (more about what one of those is to follow next time) the experience will be the same no matter who you see. She had success and the new machine was ordered!

Can you believe it we then stumbled across the prosecco bar! Oh this was a lovely place to be, not only for the prosecco, but because we bumped into old colleagues and friends and had a chat. Funny how so many people turned up at that spot!! I managed to catch up with some of the team I went to Africa with on my dental volunteer project a few years ago, which was just amazing. I spent the next 20 minutes telling Rob, Anu and Jodie (Niamh was still on her shopping mission at this point) that is something we should all do as a team. I think I have almost convinced them! Hmmm I've noticed the common denominator in the drinks photo is me!!

We carried on wandering around the stands looking at information and teaching Anu (our lovely new nurse) what things were and what they are used for. Before we knew it, it was 2pm and we hadn’t even thought about food - the gin and prosecco helped with that! So we wrapped things up at the show and all headed to a lovely pub for a spot of lunch. Weighed down with bags full of samples and information we made our way back to the car where it was not long before we all, except Niamh, who was driving, were sound asleep. It’s been a while since we have been able to do anything like that and we forgot how exhausting it would be.The day was a huge success and we all took a lot from it. We learned new things; saw people we haven’t seen for years; managed to get what we went for; but most importantly, we had a brilliant day out as a team!

Keep well and safe

Lucy and the Gentle Dental team

Gentle Dental new clinical team member

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

I am sitting writing this on a beautiful sunny afternoon and looking out at the colours of autumn all around, desperately trying to avoid looking at the weeds and bedraggled plants I have ignored over the last few weeks.

The past month has been a strange one for me as my dad passed away at the end of September. I was fortunate as I went home to Ireland and spent his final week helping to care for him; and my mam (very Irish word I know) and me were with him when he passed away peacefully.

It has been a long time since I was at an Irish funeral and I have to say it did not disappoint. My dad was a huge presence in the local community over his life and they turned out in force to help us to celebrate his life. In a strange way it was a very joyful and uplifting experience.

It has been a whirlwind since then at Gentle Dental. My focus was not there over the last few months but now it is time to get back on track. Our long planned new treatment room is up and running. After a long and extensive interview process, where we had a short list of candidates work alongside us in the clinic, we chose Karenn, a dental therapist, and she started working with us a few weeks ago. So far the feedback has been great, which is always a relief. Who we get to work at Gentle Dental matters to us as it is important that they fit with our ethos, the team and, most importantly, with our clients. Karenn seems to fit the brief on all of these.

We also have two trainees working with us who are training in nursing and on the reception processes and next week we welcome a qualified nurse, Rachel, for two days per week. Lots of new faces but hopefully you will find them as welcoming as the team members who are familiar to you.

Karenn has written a little bit about herself which is below and in the next blog we will introduce the other new team members to you. I hesitate to write about new team members as I have developed a superstitious thought that it heralds their departure so I’m waiting until they have passed their probationary period before I introduce them. Here’s hoping!

If you don’t normally get our newsletters but are enjoying reading the update on what’s happening at Gentle Dental, please let us know you would like to get them in future and we will update your preferences for contact. The newsletters are never marketing based, they just let you know what’s happening in our world and alert you to any changes within the practice.

Hello Everyone I hope everyone is enjoying the gorgeous fall season. I absolutely love the colours on the trees, yellow, orange, maroon and brown, my absolute favourites! Maybe it is because of my skin tone, HA!

My name is Karenn, the new member of the fabulous Gentle Dental gang! I am absolutely loving it in here! Everyone is so kind and lovely, I think I have found my happy place!

Just a little about me, I am from Mexico, don’t like too spicy food (I know I am Mexican), I’m an adrenaline junkie and I love parties too, of course HA!

Apart from that, I also love dentistry! So muchso that I am a finalist for 'The Best Therapist in the South!' Can you believe that! I am Ecstatic!

So, let me tell you a little more about that, can I?

The Oral health Awards (OHA) and the Private Dentistry Awards (PDA) are celebrated every year, so this year I am a finalist for Best Therapist in the South (By OHA) and a Finalist for Best Care for Nervous Patients (by both the OHW & the PDA). The ceremonies are in London on the 5th & 12th of November, quite expensive though, so not sure I will be attending both, but I will keep you posted!

There you go, that is me in a nutshell. And I can promise you, I will do my absolute best for you to look after you at Gentle Dental!

With Love Karenn Xxx

We are keeping our fingers crossed for Karenn in the awards.

Keep well and safe.

Niamh, Rob and (in Karenn’s words) the fabulous Gentle Dental gang

Spring 2022

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

What a shock to the system the weather has been this last week. We hadn’t quite gotten to the ‘flip flops and shorts’ stage but were definitely channelling that ‘summer’ feeling with the beautiful sunshine and warmth of the last few weeks. At least it has been mainly sunny and by swapping a t-shirt for coat and scarf we could still get out and enjoy the beautiful Spring flowers. Here’s hoping this cold spell is just a blip before a fabulous summer.

Apologies for the long silence since our last newsletter. However, what it means is that we have lots of news for you - all in one hit.

Staff news

As you may be aware, the practice currently is very busy and we mainly have you to thank for this. You have been recommending us far and wide to friends, work colleagues and family members, a huge compliment to us. Of course, this does have the knock-on effect of making the practice busier but we have addressed that with the new treatment room and the fabulous Karenn.

Karenn is a dental therapist which I know is a role within dentistry of which most people are unaware. This role has been around for a long time but in a different guise. Dental Therapy did exist when I trained as a hygienist but only allowed you to work in the community dental sector and only with children. However, the role changed in the late 90’s and now, as well as training for a hygienist role, therapists train to do dental examinations, disease diagnosis, x-ray prescription and fillings.

Having been around for a short while, (I find it hard to believe I qualified 32 years ago), I can recognise decay, missing fillings etc. Technically I have to have a dentist actually ‘diagnose’ the situation and plan the treatment. To take x-rays a dentist has to say they are justified and I cannot carry out a dental examination. A therapist however, can do all of these things.

Karenn is currently with us two days per week and is providing hygienist appointment for one day and carrying out simple fillings for the other, thus allowing space in Robs diary for more complex treatment. The exciting news is that from May she is joining us four days per week and as you can see for the picture below she is well placed to fit in with the gentle approach we offer.

We are already seeing the impact of the extra clinician on the diaries with a shorter wait for appointments with Rob when you need more complex treatment and we are once again managing to see you for your hygienist visit in a timely manner.

With the extra clinical hours and the likelihood of a lockdown almost nil, we are once again prebooking your next hygienist/dental health review appointment when you leave. Obviously if you prefer not to book in advance, we can accommodate this also.

The other bit of staff news to impart is that Victoria has decided not to return to work after her maternity leave. WIth two young daughters to care for she has decided to be a full time mum.

Charity

You may or may not be aware but Gentle Dental does a charity donation of £10 for every personal recommendation we receive from a client. We generally chose a local charity and over the last few years have supported Salisbury Hospice, Salisbury Trust for the Homeless and in 2021 our chosen charity was The Trussel Trust.

The donation is based on new clients who say they were referred by one of you when asked how they heard about us and the number of clients who searched for a dentist on google (or another search engine) and said that the reason they chose Gentle Dental over another practice was the client reviews on our website. The total donation to Trussel Trust for 2021 is £1830. Thank you so much for the huge number of recommendations.

Our chosen charity for 2022 is ‘Hope for Tomorrow’.

Hope for Tomorrow provides convenient cancer care by enabling cancer treatment to be delivered in the right way, at the right time, in close proximity to patients, via a Mobile Cancer Care Units. Our local Unit is called ‘Kayleigh’ and it is partnered with Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust delivering 2,069 cancer care treatments since April 2021 to local cancer patients. ‘Kayleigh’ travels to three local car parks in Salisbury, Dorset and Westbury to deliver cancer care treatment, and without this Unit patients may have to travel considerable distances to receive treatment elsewhere.

As it will be 2023 before we make the donation to Hope for Tomorrow, we have decided to do something now to support Hope for Tomorrow. Rob and I have signed up to do the Jurassic Coast Walk, 100k in 24 hours on May 14th for Salisbury Hospice. I know, you are now thinking how is that going to support Hope for tomorrow?

The JCC has several registration options so we have chosen the one where we pay the fundraising ‘target’ amount personally. That way if anyone does feel they would like to sponsor us for the walk perhaps they will consider making a donation to Hope for Tomorrow. This way we can support two local charities in one hit - and believe me 100k in 24 hours along the Jurrasic coast is going to feel like a hit! We are not spring chickens any more. You can all relax thought, we have booked the Monday off to allow for recover time so none of you need to worry about being on the receiving end of treatment from an exhausted dentist or hygienist. Cheekily this is the link to the ‘just giving’ page.

We will let you know how we fare with the walk in the newsletter and I hope we are smiling like this at the end of our walk in May!!

Thank you for all the support and we look forward to seeing you in the future.

Kind Regards

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team.

So who is little Miss Fussy?

Wed, 18 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to the (occasional) beautiful Summer weather. Here's hoping it soon lasts longer than a few days. As you can see from the photo Karenn is so estatic with good weather that she has decided to go with the 'siesta ' custom from home (Mexico), including the large hat to keep off the sun.

So that was the 'Hi, and now the apology.

In our last blog we spoke about how Rob and I were doing the Jurassic Coast Challenge in May and the apology is because we have had to postpone the walk until September. In the last month or so we have had a 'series of unfortunate events', as it were.

Firstly, in mid March Rob mistimed a step on the work stairs and sprained his ankle. We had some time off just before Easter and he recovered in time for us to do the Offa’s Dyke walk and the Wye Valley Way, both starting in Monmouth and finishing in Chepstow, approximately 30km each day.

Buoyed by the fact that we had survived that fairly easily, we were lined up to do 40km per day for 2 days over the Easter weekend. However, Rob returned from Wales with a nasty cold which confined him to bed and he passed it on to me a week later. So generous!! I was off work for an entire 10 days and just as I recovered, Rob went down with Covid. Thankfully he decided to keep that one to himself!

The 100km in 24 hours was due to happen last weekend and as it is 5 weeks since we did anything much in the way of exercise we decided to be entirely sensible and postpone. We have now transferred to the South Coast Challenge on September 3rd/4th. We will start at Eastbourne, walk up Beachy Head, then the Seven Sisters and along the South Down Way to Brighton, the halfway point. It is then along Devils Dyke and finally we will face the many ups and downs to Arundel.

We have had numerous donations to date and thank you all for your support for this fantastic charity 'Hope for Tomorrow' which provides a mobile cancer care unit for Wiltshire. All donations made to date for Hope for Tomorrow will still go to them. And the donation Rob and I made to the hospice will go to them also.

The upside of the delay is it gives us plenty of time to get the miles in over the summer...and lots more time to promote the charity. Click here if you woudl like to support this fantastic charity.

Last weekend we were feeling lots better so took a bus to town, did our market shop and walked home. And look who we spotted at the hospital. It was really nice to see in the flesh, as it were, what we are raising money for.

To date we have not written much in the blog about teeth and health. Before you decide to siesta like Karenn, I promise this is not a nag, simply information. I thought I might take the opportunity this time to mention, (believe it or not) gum health!!

You may have heard about the work done at Salisbury District Hospital during the pandemic to do with mouthwash and Covid. I have had questions from many of you on this so I thought I would put a little something in the newsletter to explain a bit more on this.

The link between poor gum health and other conditions in the body is something that has been known about for many years. Gum disease has been linked to problems with feet and eyes in those who suffer with diabetes. It has been shown to exacerbate the condition in people with heart disease. And links with bowel cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and numerous other illnesses are still being investigated. The reason for this is that when gums are inflamed there is ulceration under the gum and this provides a pathway for oral bacteria to enter the blood stream.

I should point out that the following is my understanding from what I have read, so if you were involved with the trial and the minutiae are different, I apologise in advance.

It would seem that the theory was, the virus could leak from the saliva into the blood vessels of the mouth, particularly in those who have gum disease/bleeding gums.

The lung problems caused by Covid -19 is in the blood vessels of the lungs and not in the airways, as happens with pneumonia. When the virus is in the blood vessels it can then be passed to the lungs via the bloodstream and directly to the areas where it may cause the most damage.

The hypothesis was that if the amount of the virus in the mouth and saliva could be lowered, and gum health was improved, both achieveable with oral hygiene and the use of various aids, the risk of the virus passing to the lungs would be lower. In theory this would then reduce the number of Covid positive patients who became seriously ill. The team had noted a larger proportion of the patients who got seriously ill had gum disease.

A quick synopsis is that if you have gum disease and have Covid, the use of a mouthwash containing cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) may reduce your risk of serious illness. Some of the social media posts I have seen seem to imply that the daily use of these mouthwashes will prevent Covid and this is simply not the case.

I know the next question will be which mouthwashes? And the answer is many of them including Dentyl, Listerine and Colgate Plax. The research was done with 0.7% CPC so if you are buying one if you are covid positive look at how much CPC they contain.

I hope this gives a bit of clarity and sincerely hope I haven’t misinterpreted this.

On the upside it may make you all feel better about how much I nag you. One client recently described me as Little Miss Fussy and I think Karenn is my twin!

I will keep you posted on our training program for the September walk and hope you continue to enjoy good health and the lovely weather.

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team

Gentle Dental - a day in the life of the reception team

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A day in the life of the Gentle Dental Reception team

A lot of people will assume that receptionists sit all day, filing their nails, flicking through the latest glossy or chatting to their co-workers……….. That’s what I thought to when I accepted the job at Gentle Dental 28 months ago! Coming from a background of senior management and compliance I thought, yes, I’ll have some of that! How wrong I was to make those assumptions.

So, I am sure you have all met all of us over your visits at Gentle Dental. I’m Lucy, we also have in the team Jodie, Taryn and of course Patricia.

As you can see some of us are professional, some like a bevy (never me!) and some are more camera shy than others.

I thought it would be nice to give you a little insight in to what we do as ‘receptionists’ at Gentle Dental, and I can assure you, and you will see for yourselves, we certainly do not have time to file our nails!

We generally arrive at work around 7.15am, bright eyed and bushy tailed of course. I mean who isn’t at that time in the morning!

One of our first jobs is to check the emails and answer machine to make sure no one needs to talk to us urgently. Rob then brings us all a nice cup of tea (normally the only hot one we get a chance to have in the day) and we have a meeting together with the whole team. This is where we discuss everyone who is in that day and anything we need to share or know about the appointments coming up, if you have had an 8am appointment you would have been greeted by all of us smiling at you from behind the desk (and behind our masks)

It is from there that generally our feet don’t touch the ground again until 5.15pm. In between managing phone calls and checking you lovely lot in and seeing you out, we will be calling people to follow up on a whole series of things. This includes speaking to consultants to arrange appointments, making sure Rob, Niamh and Karenn are working as hard as they can (I mean we can’t have them filing their nails if we can’t!), preparing client notes for upcoming appointments and generally ensuring all of the things that keep the practice running smoothly from an administration point of view, as well as those that ensure we give a first-class customer experience to all of our clients, are up together.

Now that there are three clinics running every day, we are on the go even more than before. We had to make a choice of either growing another set of hands each, or taking someone new on to join the team. Fortunately, we opted for the latter, and Laura has survived her first few weeks with us and is settling in well.

Myself and Jodie were having a giggle the other day because, she had been on holiday and I covered her hours, then I went on holiday and she covered mine. We both felt we needed another holiday to recover from covering each other. Oh well, they do say there is no rest for the wicked!

We are like a little family here at Gentle Dental and support each other every step of the way, even though sometimes we don’t even find a moment to have a chat. We do however have a very lively WhatsApp group, which is full of jokes and banter most of the time. Poor Rob, the only male amongst 9 women! Here’s a few pics of our recent night out. We love a good social here at Gentle Dental.

Enjoy your weekend.

Lucy and the Gentle Dental team

Didn't we have a lovely time!!

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to our Autumn missive.

It feels like a long time ago since I wrote in June about enjoying occasional summer weather - my how that changed and what a summer it was. Hopefully, all the gardens have now recovered. Mine is still blooming in spots with the mild Autumn.

So, what has been happening at Gentle Dental over the summer?

As you know Lucy departed for pastures new in July and seems to be thriving. She is enjoying being around a lot more for her son Rowan thought missing the team and her banter with all you lovely clients. You are likely also aware that Victoria decided not to return after her maternity leave. She is running her own cake baking business (as is Lucy) and is looking after her 2 little girls.

While Victoria was on maternity leave I have been managing the team and the 'behind the scenes' element of the practice, keeping it ticking over is a more accurate description. When she decided not to return I was rather stumped. Thankfully Jodie, who has been with us for 3 years, has stepped into the breach and is taking on all of these duties.

We have a new reception team member, Laura. She joined us in June and is learning the ropes well. Having left school the year before she was at a bit of a loss to know what to do but has taken to this like a duck to water.

Pre Lockdowns we were recruiting for staff and post we just managed as trying to train new team members while learning new systems ourselves seems too much of a mountain to climb. Over the last 18 months we worked at building the team again and now all of the newer team members have completed a year with us. I'm not sure how well you have gotten to know them as a lot of the time we were all completely covered in PPE. I've got so many clients who comment that they never knew till now what I looked like.

The newer team members are Anu - trainee nurse who is sitting her exams in April 2023, Taryn - reception, Rachael - qualified nurse and Karenn - dental therapist. And of course we still have Kat - long term locum. We keep trying to talk her into taking on a permanent position with us but she likes doing her won thing too much. The team has really gelled which is always so nice for us all and I think it creates a nicer environment for you when you visit us.

Rob and I of course are still here. It looks a bit like we will go down with the ship, as it were!

We seem to have gone from famine to feast when it comes to socialising having had 2 days out in a very short space of time.

We had a ‘staff day out’ in September when we went to Salisbury races. And I can definitely say ‘fun was had by all’. Several of the team had never been to the races (and in my case only once before). I’m sure we kept many people amused as we tried to figure out how to bet, how much to bet and even where to place a bet. Howe green were we! One chap obviously recognised us as novices (I wonder how!), took pity on us and showed us the ‘magic page’ at the beginning of the program which gave us a clue about who was expected to win the race, and who the likely surprise might be. Thus armed, and on his advice using the TOTE (£2 bet), we got into the spirit. Several of the girls walked away ‘up’ on money so were very pleased with themselves.

In early October we went to the Dental Showcase, an industry event where anyone who is anyone in the supply world lays out their wares. This was held in Excel London and looking at the journey we decided to drive part way and train the rest. Thus, we drove to Weybridge and took the train from there. This caused much excitement as several of the team had never been on the DLR and none of us had been on the Elisabeth line. So even the journey was fun and we had a great day at the showcase.

You may remember that we had decided to embark on a walking challenge, 100k in 24 hours. This was meant to happen in May and was postponed due to illness and Rob having covid. We rearranged for early September but pulled out due to the heat. My Irish skin and body does not cope well with heat so walking 10 hours each day over a weekend to train just didn’t happen. 23-25 degrees is a heat wave in Ireland so the temperatures here meant I did little at the weekends other than sit in the shade.

We have rebooked for May 23 and will be undertaking the original challenge of the Jurassic coast. More news on training etc will follow in the Spring but I’m pretty confident that temperatures in the Spring should allow for the training. Training starts in earnest in February and we will keep you posted on training. Fingers crossed we actually make it this time!

We are doing the walk to raise funds for our chosen charity for this year which is Hope for Tomorrow. The charity raises funds for mobile cancer treatment units which means patients don;t need to travel daily to Southampton and can be closer to home. Our local one is called Kayleigh which is currently out of service being refurbished so hopefully the funds raised will assist with that.

I hope to get back to doing more regular blogs now Jodie is taking over some of the duties so I hope to be in touch with more updates in the next month or so

Keep well and safe

Niamh. Rob and the Gentle Dental team

Ready for a challenge!

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

100KM (60 miles) in 24 hours. Are we up to the challenge!!

The current, occasional glimpse of Spring with crocus and daffodils, as well as longer hours of daylight is so heart-warming. It almost feels like we can put winter behind and look forward to a (hopefully) balmy summer - thought snow last week was a bit of a shocker!

We have had a busy couple of months at Gentle Dental with birthdays. There are 9 team members and 7 of us have birthdays between October and January. I never want to see another birthday cake! We also did our Basic Life support training, and had a training day with Practice Plan.

The practice plan day was all about communication and thoughts on how to create a smooth journey through the practice for clients. As a group we picked up on several things that we felt we could do better and have tweaked systems at work to accommodate these.

As always, we are open to feedback and suggestions so, please feel free to contact us in whatever manner you prefer with your thoughts.

Karenn’s birthday happened to fall on the practice plan training day. Much to her embarrassment we ambushed her with a cake in the lunchbreak (and Rob snuck in tequila shots!) in front of all the course attendees. She did manage to bury her embarrassment long enough to eat cake though - and sink a shot (see the picture above).

At the beginning of this blog I expounded the joys of the stretch in the daylight hours. However, the longer days and better weather meant we could no longer put off starting our training for what we are calling ‘The Walk’!

You may remember Rob and I committed to ‘100km (60 miles) in 24 hours’ last May and had to cancel as we both got ill. The rejigged September date was cancelled due to the heat and my inability to spend that length of time in the direct sun. (Irish skin and sun are not meant for each other!)

Training started in early February with 20km on the first Saturday and 10km on the Sunday. The stairs at work on Monday morning felt really steep! Several weeks later the Monday morning stairs don't seem so bad anymore. And as they insist on bouncing back home for weekends, we have even dragged our young adults into joining us in the training. No complaints from them, so far!

The ‘Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge’ was organised last year in aid of Salisbury Hospice Charity and there was a minimum fundraising amount. Rob and I paid this amount personally and we are doing the walk in aid of Hope for Tomorrow – a charity that funds mobile cancer care units. Wiltshire’s unit is called Kayleigh, and she travels to several areas around the county so those undergoing cancer treatment do not have to travel to Southampton daily for their care.

Our target for fundraising is £2,000 and thanks to your generosity we are already almost 25% there.

One client added quotes to his donation -

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks" - John Muir.

"When you're going through hell, keep going" - Churchill.

I am sincerely hoping I do not need to call on the second one and can focus on Churchill for the duration.

We will let you know how we do and if you do fancy following our training journey and of course the actual walk, we will be posting on Instagram and Facebook. We might need encouragement so if social media is your thing follow us and have a laugh at our expense. I will also post bits and pieces to the Just Giving page for non-social media folk and of course will let you know in the newsletter how we did on the day.

If you would like to make a donation to Hope For Tomorrow you can do this through our Just Giving page or there is a collection box at the desk when you attend the practice if you prefer.

Part of my role in running Gentle Dental is to ensure that neither Rob nor Karenn get an opportunity to sit and twiddle their thumbs. The nature of the way we work means we complete the necessary work for clients when they first start with us, assist them in getting their dental health to a good standard and after that it is maintenance. Therefore in order to make sure I keep them busy, we are actively seeking new clients.

Feel free, if it is appropriate, to recommend us to friends, family work colleagues etc. Make sure you ask them to mention your name when they register as we make a £10 donation to charity for every new client who attends following personal recommendation.

Last year we supported Hope for Tomorrow and have decided to continue with them this year as we are supporting them with ‘The Walk’. However, we have worked out the donation based on personal recommendation between February 1st 2022 and 31st January 2023.

100 clients registered with us on a personal recommendation during that period so that is an extra £1000 donation from Gentle Dental to for Hope for Tomorrow.

Thank you for your continued support and confidence in us.

Finally just to let you now you can now communicate with us through Whatsapp, if this is your preferred method of communication. Currently you can access this through the Whatsapp button on our Facebook and Instagram. We are also very happy for you to message us through Facebook messenger and Instagram messaging. The reception team monitor these through the day.

We look forward to seeing you all in the coming months.

Kind regards

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle dental team

The Luck of the Irish

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The luck of the Irish in this case is that, despite all of the rain we have had over the last few months, we have only been rained on once during our walking training – and that only happened 500m from our front door at the end of the walk. Someone has been watching over us for sure. I, like so many, hate walking in the rain!!!

It is amazing how many of you we have run into over the past few months whilst out walking. We have been exploring the Salisbury surrounds in every direction in a quest to get the miles in so we have been visiting different areas. The beauty of living somewhere like Salisbury is that, in the main, we have only had to walk from our front door or take a short bus ride and away we go. So many footpaths and beautiful areas to explore.

Your support has been fantastic both in the good wishes and your interest in asking us about it and how we are doing; and with donations. Our target is 2K, which to be fair was a number I plucked from the air with no real belief we would achieve it. We currently sit at almost £1300 which includes the cash many of you have given at the desk. Amazing!

Regarding the interest in how we are doing and indeed the queries on how on earth we are going to do 100km in 24 hours – I thought I would do an update for anyone we haven’t run into or who hasn’t been in to us but would like to know.

We averge between 5.5 - 6km per hour when we are walking and have managed to keep that pace up for our longer walks. The strategy we are planning is to keep this pace going for the first 50km which would mean we get this done in the first 10 hours, leaving us plenty of time to go slower over the night time walk. Who knows whether it will work out like that or not.

The days walk that seems to make most people ponder is the ‘Amesbury to Odstock … via Downton’ day. This was about 40 km. So, bus to Amesbury, back to Salisbury along the river Avon, coffee in the market (got to be done!), Britford, Odstock and Great Yews, Charlton All Saints, Downton (tea at the Borough Café), Charlton All Saints, Nunton and finally Odstock from where we got a lift.

Our longest day to date was 48km which meant we were out and about for 9.5 hours, walking for just over 8 hours of that. (The strava picture says 47km, I forgot to restart it after one break). That felt long! Gulp, how will 24 hours feel!!

We walked a circuitous route into town from Coombe Bissett and headed for the Clarendon way. Deviated from it around Farley, Pitton, the Winterslows, back along the Clarendon way and out to Coombe Bissett. Never has the Fox and Goose in Coombe Bissett been such a welcome sight. We virtually crawled into the sunny garden and didn’t move for an hour. Mind you moving after an hour was tough!

As I write this, I am gearing up to leave work at 12 and head out for approximately 40 km on the Avon Valley path. When we have had enough or it is convenient, we will jump on the X3 back to Salisbury. I think a visit to 'Sips' for a beer might have been earned by then!! Tomorrow will be a 25-30km and then it is the final countdown to the big day.

Training for the last two weeks is lighter so this is the last big push. Much as we enjoy walking, we are now looking forward to just getting it done. We feel we may just hang up our walking poles for the rest of the summer and stick to the bikes for outings and exercise.

Cheekily I have added in the link to the Gentle Dental Just Giving page. Now the finishing line 'target wise' is in sight we are beginning to believe we can hit it.

Many thanks for your continued support for such a good charity, Hope for Tomorrow. The mobile cancer treatment van makes life so much easier for families when a loved one is undergoing cancer treatment. Avoiding a long haul to Southampton every day for weeks makes such a difference.

We will let you know how we manage on the day and the final amount raised of course.

Thanks again for the support and good wishes.

Regards

Niamh and Rob

100km - We made it !

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Unbelievably we made it! We finished the 100km walk.

Strategy went out the window due to the weather and feet, 11.5 hrs to the 50km mark! We had beautiful sunshine, which is definitely preferable to rain. However, in Ireland, 23 degrees is a heatwave of similar proportions to the heat here last summer, so for me last Saturday was HOT! I think Stoke on Trent lads feel the same was about the heat. Therefore, recover breaks were definitely longer than planned. Our 20 minute afternoon stop extended and extended and became 50 minutes.

The compede worked well – but not well enough! By 25km, a poorly placed compede meant I had developed a rub on my heel. However a better placed piece meant this was manageable. Rob on the other hand, by 60km had develop a lot of blisters so walking fast was not an option. especiallly for the last 20km. However, it is a beautiful area with stunning views so this kept us going. Even knowing the climb that was approaching after Durdle Door, didn't prevent us enjoying a few moment just gazing at it...... and all the folks lying on the beach..... eating ice cream..... swimming. When we didn't give up in that moment and join them, we were definitely going to make the finish!

We did still manage to complete the course in 25 hours and 3 minutes. Actual walking time according to Strava was just under 19 hour and 40 minutes. Not a bad effort I reckon.

The event was amazing and we were really impressed with the organisation and the helpfulness of the staff. Every rest stop had plenty of food and drinks, welfare staff for sore feet or difficult headspace and the friendliest most encouraging bunch of volunteers imaginable.

Once it hit 5pm, volunteer walked from the 42km stop and mopped up any stragglers. They then walked with these folk to get them to the next stage. Overnight there was a similar system. We went out in groups every 10 minutes and the volunteer walked at the back with the slowest member until daylight. The support was impressive.

I checked on Instagram on Monday morning and the last person walked through the finish line at approximately 10pm on Sunday evening. She started at 7am on Saturday! Commitment I’m not sure I would have had.

Apart from blisters our main concern was how would we manage mentally. Even the briefing before we set off for the night section talked about this. Luckily for us the mental challenge never arrived. We just focused on watching for our luminous pink arrows and glowsticks and suddently we were there. On reflection, we feel we went into this with so much support from you guys with encouraging comments and sponsorship, that the possibility of dropping out never crossed our minds.

Currently the fundraising on Just Giving sits at £2570 and although any amount would have made it worthwhile, this makes it soooooo worthwhile. On behalf of the charity Hope for Tomorrow, thank you. I know we have more that this as numerous clients have popped cash in the box at the desk this week.

I will now stop haranguing you with our ‘walk’ and blog about other things moving forward. And if I ever talk about a mad idea like this again, someone please stop me!!!

Enjoy the weather.

Regards

Niamh & Rob

The Best Electric Toothbrush Head

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Choosing the right electric toothbrush head can be tricky with all the options available, but don’t worry—as an experienced Salisbury dentist, we’ve got you covered. If you’re wondering which brush head to select, this guide will help you navigate the choices and find the perfect match for your needs.

Key Tips Before Choosing Your Electric Toothbrush Head

Technique is Key
While an electric toothbrush makes brushing easier, proper technique is still crucial. A manual toothbrush, when used correctly, can provide excellent results. Conversely, an improperly used electric toothbrush can lead to poor cleaning. Focus on holding the brush still and ensuring you use the correct angle to get the best results.
Why the Head Shape Matters
Oral-B toothbrushes use oscillation and rotation technology, so the brush head needs to be circular to effectively clean your teeth. This design helps maximize plaque removal and reach deeper between teeth.
Visible Use Indicator
Did you know Oral-B electric toothbrush heads feature a visible wear indicator? When the bristles change from green to yellow, it’s time to replace your brush head for optimal performance.

Understanding the Different Oral-B Electric Toothbrush Ranges

Oral-B offers various toothbrush ranges, each with unique features and performance levels. The most popular ranges include:

Pro
Genius
Smart
Vitality
iO

These ranges differ in price and features, with premium models like Genius and iO offering more advanced technology, including app connectivity and increased oscillation speeds. The Vitality and Pro ranges are more budget-friendly but still offer excellent cleaning performance.

If you're looking for cutting-edge tech at a reasonable price, iO is an excellent choice. The Pro range also offers a balance of functionality and affordability.

Comparing the Oral-B iO Electric Toothbrush Range

	iO4	iO6	iO8
RRP	£240	£300	£450
No of cleaning modes	4	5	6
Daily Clean mode	yes	yes	yes
Sensitive mode	yes	yes	yes
Super sensitive mode	yes	no	yes
Intense mode	no	yes	yes
Whitening mode	yes	yes	yes
Gum Care mode	no	yes	yes
Tongue Cleaning mode	no	no	no
Interactice Display	no	black & white	colour
Mode currently in use	not visible	on handle display	on handle display
Real time Zone tracking with AI	not available	6 zones- visible on the app	6 zones - visible on the app
Brush head replacement reminder	Light on the handle	visible on the display	visible on the display
Travel Case	no	yes	yes
Battery charge notification	power button LED	on the display	on the display
Charger	standard Oral B charger	sandard Oral B charger	magnetic charger
Charge time	up to 16 hours	up to 12 hours	up to 3 hours

Electric Toothbrush Heads for the Oral-B iO

The Oral-B iO series has specialized brush heads for different oral care needs. These include:

Ultimate Clean
Designed for maximum plaque removal, the Ultimate Clean head removes up to 100% more plaque than a manual toothbrush. Its innovative bristle structure (tuft-in-tuft) and 16-degree bristle angle reach deeper between teeth for superior cleaning.
Gentle Care
For those with sensitive gums, the Gentle Care head features soft bristles (up to 4000) and a cushioning outer ring that adapts to your teeth’s contours. It’s ideal for sensitive gums or those who tend to brush too hard.
Ultimate White
The Ultimate White head helps reduce surface staining caused by food and drinks. Its polishing petals help remove surface stains, but remember—only professional whitening can change the intrinsic color of your teeth.
Specialised Clean
The Specialised Clean head is perfect for reaching tricky areas, like wisdom teeth, crooked teeth, or spaces where plaque builds up. It's also a great option for those with braces or dental implants.

Electric Toothbrush Heads for Other Oral-B Ranges

In addition to the iO range, Oral-B offers a variety of brush heads for the Vitality, Pro, Genius, and Smart models. These heads are compatible with all these toothbrush handles, giving you a wider selection for your daily cleaning routine. Here are some popular choices:

Precision Clean
The Precision Clean head is simple yet effective, offering basic but reliable plaque removal. It now features X-shaped bristles (rather than the previous rounded ones), which can clean areas that rounded bristles couldn’t reach. It's a solid choice for anyone who prefers a no-frills brushing experience.
Cross Action
The Cross Action head features more than 2200 perfectly angled bristles designed to remove up to 100% more plaque than a manual toothbrush. The bristles are angled at 16 degrees to effectively clean along the gum line and between teeth.
Floss Action
The Floss Action head comes with MicroPulse bristles that help loosen plaque in hard-to-reach areas. It's designed to provide up to 100% more plaque removal than a manual toothbrush, though some users find it can be tough on the gums.
Sensitive Clean
The Sensitive Clean head features soft bristles and is my personal favorite. It provides a gentle yet thorough clean, making it perfect for people with sensitive gums or those who prefer a gentler brushing experience. It’s a must-try for anyone who’s experienced discomfort with firmer brush heads.
3D White
The 3D White head is designed with a polishing cup in the center to help remove surface stains caused by coffee, tea, and wine. Like the Cross Action, this head can be a bit harsh on the gums, so use it only on the whitening mode of your brush.
Interspace
The Interspace head is designed to clean in between teeth, making it an excellent choice for hard-to-reach areas, such as those with crooked teeth or wisdom teeth. It’s also great for people with braces or dental implants.

Which Electric Toothbrush Head Is Right for You?

Choosing the right brush head is a matter of personal preference and your specific oral care needs. Here’s a quick rundown to help you decide:

For Maximum Plaque Removal: Opt for the Ultimate Clean (iO) or Cross Action (Vitality/Pro/Genius).
For Sensitive Teeth or Gums: Go with the Gentle Care (iO) or Sensitive Clean (Vitality/Pro/Genius).
For Stain Removal: Choose the Ultimate White (iO) or 3D White (Vitality/Pro/Genius), but be sure to use the latter on the whitening mode.
For Hard-to-Reach Areas: The Specialised Clean (iO) or Interspace (Vitality/Pro/Genius) are excellent options for reaching tricky spots between teeth or around braces.

FAQs: Electric Toothbrush Head Choices

Can I whiten my teeth with an electric toothbrush head?
Electric toothbrush heads like the Ultimate White and 3D White can help with surface staining but won’t alter the intrinsic color of your teeth. For professional whitening, consult your dentist.
How often should I replace my toothbrush head?
Oral-B brush heads come with a visible wear indicator that turns from green to yellow when it’s time for a replacement. Typically, you should change your brush head every 3 months.
Are all Oral-B brush heads compatible with every toothbrush?
Most Oral-B brush heads are compatible with Vitality, Pro, Genius, Smart, and iO toothbrush handles, but it’s always a good idea to double-check the compatibility for your specific model.

Conclusion: Choose the Right Electric Toothbrush Head for a Healthier Smile

Finding the right toothbrush head is essential for maintaining optimal oral hygiene. Whether you’re looking to remove plaque, protect sensitive gums, or brighten your smile, Oral-B offers a wide variety of options tailored to meet your needs. Choose wisely, use the correct technique, and you’ll enjoy a cleaner, healthier smile every day!

By combining the best of Oral-B’s toothbrush head technology with the proper brushing technique, you’ll ensure your teeth stay in top condition and your oral health remains at its best.

If you'd like to discuss brushing and how to keep your mouth healthy, please get in touch with your favourite Salisbury dentist ... and happy brushing!

Save the Date

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Gosh, it is hard to believe that Christmas is almost upon us again. It feels like we have only just packed the christmas tree away at Gentle Dental. These last few wet and dreary days certainly haven’t helped to get me in the spirit. I’ve got my fingers crossed for some frosty mornings and sunny days.

We have finally closed the Just Giving page for the 100km walk Rob and I did in May. The final total was just over £4200. What an achievement. Thank you all so much for the support and encouragement. It certainly help on the long slog.

We haven’t had a lot happen at Gentle Dental over the summer/autumn so team news is a bit sparse I’m afraid. The most fun thing we did was a team day out at Bombay Saphire distillery. Well worth a visit.

The cocktail masterclass - learn to make 3 cocktails in an hour - was great fun and thankfully it was a sunny day with lots of seating outside in which to imbibe over a period of time. They need to suss a way for one to carry 3 cocktail glasses in one go though! Knocking back 3 cocktails in an hour would have been a tall order, even for an Irish woman.

Not so salubrius a venue for our next outing. Tonight we are cooking at ours for the team. Karenn has never had a traditional roast dinner so we are obliging with that. Perhaps we will have pics to post from that next newsletter.

Looking towards the New year, Gentle Dental celebrates its 20th birthday in February 2024. And we are having a party on Thursday Feb 1st.

Thursday, February 1st we are opening the practice for clients to visit. Maybe you have always wondered how we sterilise things, or what checks we run on equipment etc. Come armed with your questions. Every area of the practice (well maybe not the staff room- the usual messy space) will be open for a tour.

It may be that you have no interest in the day-to-day workings and simply fancy dropping in to say hi and join us for a glass of bubbles and a cake. That’s fine by us.

Whilst for many of you the thought of going to your dentist for a party is a weird one, we hope some of you can pop in for a while. Keep an eye on your emails in January for an invitation. We wil ask you to indicated a time slot in which you will drop in so we know approximately how many to expect. (Got to have enough cake and bubbles lined up!)

A bit of a departure for me in these blogs is that I am including some before and after pictures of work that Rob and Karenn have done.

Numerous clients follow us on Instagram and Facebook and the feedback we get when we post these pictures is great. A usual comment is that they had no idea what could be achieved and it is nice to see the work. I know lots of you, like me, are not social media lovers so I though I might occasionally include some of the work here.

I have chosen this one as I think the difference is immense, both in appearance and in the confidence the improved smile has given to this client. This was a collaboration between Rob and Karenn.

The client, A.M., wanted to make the teeth on the top right match with those on the other side, He also did not like the way his top front teeth tilted inwards and found his inability to smile with confidence was making people think he was quiet and introverted.

The issue on the top right was he is congenitially missing the eye tooth and the no 4 tooth, a completely different shape, is in its space. In order to make his smile look better and ensure the midline of his smile is in the midline of this face, we used Invisalign. This moved the teeth on the top right backwards and recreated the space for the missing eyetooth. A dental implant was then placed and Rob made a crown, ensuring it matched the rest of his smile. Along way A. had hygienist visits, tooth whitening and composite bonding to perfect the shape of some of the teeth.

I hope you agree this really is a 'smile transformation' and it is so nice to see how confidently A now smiles, beams in fact.

Now some housekeeping bits.

We are finding many of you are arriving very stressed due to delays with parking so I thought I’d mention the ongoing work in the Central car park and on Fishertons Street.

Both are having an effect on parking space availability and the length of time it takes to get through town and parked. It may be an idea to allow extra time when planning for you appointments with us. We are always happy to make you a tea or coffee if you find you have arrived with time to spare.

Parking issues aside, the river area is beginning to look great. I'm loving that Salisbury now has a beach, pebbly but still a 'beach', and rapids. (They are ever so small in the background of the pic).

I have absolutely no picture in my head for how it will look once it's finished but I'm sure it will look lovely and be a welcoming, picturesque pathway into the city for tourists as well as an additional green space for the rest of us.

Finally FYI - our opening times over the festive season.

As always Rob will be available to offer advice should any of you have a problem and we do have cover arranged with another private practice should any of you need to be seen.

It simply remains for us to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regards

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team

Didn't we have a lovely time....

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Didn’t we have a lovely time!

Thank you to everyone who managed to make it along to our birthday celebration. We had a fabulous day. I’ve included a few photos to give you a flavour of the day. It was so much fun to meet everyone in such different circumstances. And as you can see from the photos it was very social. Just like a drinks party at home really.

At the end of the day we were shattered and ready for a quiet night - though Jodie expressed her desire for a rest differently than the usual 'dying for a cuppa'!! Obviously having fun is harder work than actually working!

We got so many cards and good wishes and wanted to say thank you for those. I've included a pic of a beautiful home made card we got which wished us a 'fluo-ride of a fun party' and included a joke which I will pass on here.

Q. What does the dentist of the year get?

A. A little plaque.

They don't get better than that folks!

Much as it may embarass this client I cannot resist posting the next pictures. The card was from a client wishing us well. And Tims' smile!!! What can I say other that to publish a disclaimer - Gentle Dental had no part in the creation of this smile. I couldn't understand why he was quite so enthuastic about attending the celebration when I met him a few days earlier. It amazing what you can pick up on Amazon (other purchasing platforms exist), and how evolution needs to take us further away from gorillas. Not that I am comparing Tim to a gorrilla - or am I?

Now to more serious topics - I realise we need to keep reminiding you of the additional benefits you receive as a member of Gentle Dental. We frequently find that clients have not remembered about these when things happen with their teeth.

I know I have spoken about these before but I thought I would tell you some 'real-life' stories so you can see them in action, as it were, and it might cement the idea of these benefits in your mind and allow you to call on them when the need arises.

I am focusing on the two main benefits - trauma cover & worldwide emergency cover.

Last summer we got a call from a client. She had a new puppy which had jumped up and “smacked' her in the face a few days previously and she was now experiencing pain in her front tooth, which had previously been root treated. We asked her to come to see us for an emergency assessment which, on the membership, is free of charge (normally £170). There wasn’t anything signposting a major problem so we had to play a ‘wait and see what rears its head’ game and two weeks later the tooth obliged. On exam at this stage Rob could tell that the root of the tooth had split. The only option to relieve the discomfort, was to take the tooth out.

Our first priority always is to get a client out of pain so we moved forward, made a simple denture and fitted the denture on the same day as we took the tooth out so our client was not left with a gap at the front of her mouth. We now had breathing space in which to plan the next steps.

Taking out a front tooth is straight forward for us but very traumatic for the client as, obviously, the gap is visible to all. And while there are numerous options for replacement of the missing tooth - a denture, a dental bridge or an implant - these can be quite expensive and take a long time to complete.

We arranged time to chat about the options for replacing the tooth and reminded the client about the trauma cover through her membership which would cover some of the cost of the treatment. This helped with the decision as it certainly made the more expensive option, a dental implant, a more affordable option. And this is what the client chose.

The membership allowed the client to reclaim almost £1700, approximately 0.4% of her total spend. A very good return on a simple additional benefit to the membership, which costs you, the client, nothing.

The below pictures are in order of immediately after the puppy incident, a few days later when the tooth decided to show us what was going on and finally the implant and crown in place. As you can see from the final picture it is totally natural looking in her smile.

With regard to the Worldwide cover, I had a client who mentioned at his hygienist visit how his recent holiday to the Caribbean was almost spoilt when a crown, visible when he smiled, came out. The resort saved the day and found a dentist who recemented it for him. However, his holiday insurance excess made it not worth the effort to make a claim. I reminded him about his worldwide emergency cover and advised that he submit his receipts. Two weeks later he had a payment in to his account which did not cover the entire cost but was way more than his travel insurance would have paid.

So basically, if you are a member of Gentle Dental and anything dental occurs when you are away from home, whether in this country or abroad, find a dentist to sort things for you, get a receipt and on your return either call us or Practice Plan to find out your next steps to make a claim.

If you are not on the membership and would like to find out more speak to any member of the team who will be happy to help. It is possible to be a member and make use of the members benefits alongside a work or personal private health plan. We are more than happy to chat this through with you and explain the savings you can make.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to one of our new team member, Shilpa, who is a dental hygienist and she will be joining the team in June. Karenn has moved away from Salisbury and is finding the travel exhausting so she is cutitng down on her days. Shilpa stepping into the breach seems fitting as it was through Karenn that I first met her.

Shilpa adn Karenn worked together at another practice and I first met Shipla about 2 years ago at a regional study day run by the British Society for Dental Hygienists and Therapists (BSDHT). Since then I have come across her at every conference and meeting I attend and I don't go to them all by any means. So unless she is stalking me, Shilpa obviously attended everything she possibly can to ensure she is up to date and knowledgeable about her role.

Shilpa actually trained as a dentist in India and when she moved to this country with her young family she just couldn't take the time out to study for the dentistry exams she would need to take to allow her to work here. She also realised that dentistry in the UK is quite different to India. With this in mind Shilpa decided to apply to register as a hygienist and while that was happening she worked as a dental nurse, did the training course and registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) as a nurse. She is a popular choice with the entire team, most of whom have met and chatted with her at the various training days we attend. We are looking forward to welcoming her to the team. Also having tasted her traditional home cooking I am hoping for lots of tasty samosas etc. for the staff room.

We also say a sad farewell to Laura who has decided to pack a backpack to head to sunnier climes for a while. Laura you will know from the reception team and she has been with us almost two years. She will be missed by us all.

We have welcomed some other new faces to the team. However in the past I have enthuastically written about folks and then within a month or two they have decided it is not for them. So rather than jinx things I will wait off and introduce the other new team members in the next newsletter.

We have reached the time of year when we work out our charity donation and choose our new charity. Just to remind you this is a £10 donation we make to our chosen charity based on referrals of new clients we receive from you lovely people. Last year we continued to support Hope For Tomorrow, the mobile cancer treatment service in Wiltshire and through your generous support raised over £3000 in sponsorship for our walk. Between this sponsorship and the £10 donation for referrals, we raised approximately £4500 for them. Therefore, if we receive no objections, we feel we would like to put the £960 towards a donation to our new charity so we spread our support.

Thank you so much for the faith you place in us and the confidence with which you mention us to friends, family and work colleagues. We will continue to work hard to not let you down.

And now to our charity for this year and our decision making process on which one. One of our clients is reaching an '0' birthday (70th) and is a keen cyclist. He already embarks on what I would call 'mad' cycles each year but this year he is pushing it even further and doing a Duathalon. But not just any duathalon. This one is a 16 mile run, 106 mile cycle and to finish, you just have to climb Mt Snowden! I'm exhausted just writing about it. He intends to raise money for Riding for the Disabled (RDA) and we decided we would join him in his quest (not in the actual cycling etc) and choose this as our charity this year.

RDA is a nationwide organisation run entirely by volunteers and does exactly what it says on the tin. Our local branch is in Wilton. Rather than write lots about them, here is the link to their website if you would like to find out more. I'm sure Rob and I will come up with some hairbrained way to raise more funds for the charity, though it certainy won't be as mad as Jerrys.

It simply remains for me to wish you all a Happy Easter and fingers crossed we get some dry weather in which to enjoy it. I'm off to Ireland to visit my family so I know that is a vain hope for me.

See you all soon.

Regards

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team.

OOPS I did it again!

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I find it hard to believe it's September already and I have allowed the entire summer to pass without a newsletter. It's fair to say it has been a busy summer, both at work and socially.

As mentioned in the previous blog, Karenn has now left Gentle Dental for pastures new closer to where she lives. Shilpa her replacement is doing just on day per week currently so I am taking up the slack with appointments. This means my diary is inceredibly full and busy.

Please don't worry if we have to book your next appointment farther out than you would like as the reception team are doing an amazing job of bringing appointments forward to where they should be when the diary alters. It may well be worth make a note of when your hygiene appointment is booked and bearing this in mind when booking work or other committments so you don't have to move it.

As always thank you for your continued referral of friends and family. We really appreciate it. It certainly keeps us out of mischief!

I have fab news to share with you. Oral B have again issued vouchers, valid for 12 months, so until June 30th 2025, for electric toothbrushes. This time around the vouchers are based on the iO toothbrush which is the newest Oral B technology. The original (and in my honest opinion NOT the best) technology was based on a metal shank which caused the toothbrush head to pulsate and oscillate. The new magnet driven technology means that as well as the brush head oscillating and pulsating, the bristles vibrate. The iO does leave your mouth feeling amazingly clean (when used properly).

The offer is for

62% off an iO3 – 4 bushing modes app connectivity - no £60 versus £160 rrp

67% off an iO4 – 4 brushing modes app connectivity - yes £79 versus £240 rrp

The offer is also for an iO6 and iO8 both of which connect to an app and have numerous modes and are available for £100 &£150 respectively. If you want to know more about the iO range revisit the blog from July 2023 (about the Oral B offer) where you will find a table outlining the details.

If you are interested in the offer just ask for a card when you are in or email/call/text and the reception team will forward the code to you.

Of course, although I say the iO is better technology, the old shaft driven version still works extremely well and the Pro3 can still be purchased for approx £40 when on offer. The iO just has the edge.

With regard to the title of the blog, I was channeling my inner Britney Spears, I really have gone and done it again.

Having taken 25 hours and 2 minutes to complete the ‘100km in 24 hours’ challenge last year I felt honour bound to give it a go again and see if I can make it in the 24 hours.

The walk, this time is on the South Coast, so Eastbourne to Arundel, and is happening this Saturday Sept 7th. Gotta say I am not thrilled by the current weather!

Our chosen charity this year is Wilton Riding for the Disabled. They are aiming to raise £7,500 this year so they can refurbish their outdoor riding arena.

I haven’t made a song and dance about fundraising this time around as it gets so boring when the same folk keep haranguing you for sponsorship. However numerous clients who have attended recently want to donate to the charity (I have paid the required sponsorship amount personally). Therefore, I have set up a Just Giving page for anyone who feels they would like to support this cause. If you follow the link above you can donate directly to the charity if you prefer. There will also be a collection box at the practice for anyone who prefers to just pop spare change in a box.

If you do want to track if I made it in 24 hours this time follow this link and my bib number is 1148. This will only update when I check in at each checkpoint and is not live as to where I am on the route.

I guess I should also mention that I will be doing the walk on my own. My partner in crime, Rob, is away so the ‘Batman and Robin dynamic duo’ have been separated for this event. (I, of course, am Batman in this scenario!). It will be interesting to see how I fare on my own for the overnight section. Our son did overnight training for an ultra marathon and said the eyes reflecting back at you are quite, quite spooky! I’ll let you know in the next blog how I did.

The summer hasn’t all been about walking and, as I said at the outset, we have managed to have lots of social time.

I’ve popped a selection of photos below.

I did my annual visit to my relatives in the US. Jim (the Clint Eastwood lookalike) also knows as the cyborg because he never seems to need to eat or drink, puts us through our paces with walking, cycling and kayaking. He reckons it is us putting it up to him but I'm not sure. For an 85 year old, he is hard to keep up with. My beautiful Aunt Olive sadly has dementia and while she can't join in the activites she can still makes us laugh.

We had the team and their partners around to ours for a BBQ and to say farewell to Kat (who has since come back bits and pieces to help out) and Patricia who has finally hung up her hat after 18 years with Gentle Dental. She semi retired for a year or two while her husband was ill and has been working mainly remotely since 2020, so some of you may not really have come across her. We miss her already, but she has insisted on an invitation to the Christmas and summer do in perpetuity as part of her leaving package. You wll note my sons (Ruaidhri) dog Xeno was loving all the attention,...and snacks!

We went on a jolly in Spain with Practice Plan where I had the best Bloody Mary I have ever tasted. Weird as it sounds, the addition of pickle juice, finger chillies and slices of crispy streaky bacon was A-MAZ-ING. The 4 star beach resort was slightly wasted on us as neither of us are beach people, so we just had to make do with the view from the balcony.

I also had the annual 'Egan family' gathering in Ireland. Scattered around the pics are my 3 brothers, 3 sisters and my mam (Irish for Mum, as in an Irish Mammy). The rest are all outlaws! None of the younger/next generation made it along this year so we went out to a restaurant on the river Shannon. Untypically for Ireland we had beautiful sunshine and typically for Ireland, amazing views.

The sharp eyed amongst you will note Rob is absent from the pics. He was in Sweden on a wilderness trip with 20 youngsters (aged 16). Our kids went to the Steiner school in Ringwood and this is one of the tradition trips they do each year. He was asked to go along as one of the repsonsible adults!!!!!

In the main they sleep in hammocks - too rocky to pitch tents - and the youngsters cook for everyone over a woodfire. To Robs delight he got to sleep in a cabin on the first and last night, basic but bliss after the hammock.

And in answer to that age old question - bears really do poo in the woods!

My responsible adult invitation was to cub camp for 8th Salisbury Scouts where I was chief cook and bottle washer for 40 Beavers, cubs and leaders for the weekend. No pics due to data protection and under age permission. As always it was hard work but fun. My view for the weekend was the sink and the cooker - no beautiful lakes. I am obviously doing something wrong!!

Or maybe not. I had the use of a proper toilet and a comfy bed in my camper van. Maybe not such a bad deal afterall.

Next outing was the 75th birthdays celebration of the British Society for Hygienists and Therapists (BSDHT), to which both Karenn and myself were lucky enough to be invited. We had afternoon tea at the RAF Club in Piccadilly which is an impressive venue. I managed to get a pic of the current and past presidents spanning the past 18 years and having been fortunate enough to have worked alongside 9 of them, it felt like another massive family do.

And last, but by no means least, Rob and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a slap-up meal at Core by Claire Smyth in London. Now that was an experience!

We were well outdone on the day as Paul and Soo, the other couple who were with us, were married for 44 years on that day.

The final person in the pic (with the hat) was Robs best man and he felt it incumbent on him to continue his duty and attend the anniversary celebration as well.

It is hard to pick a favourite course but for hard work and ingenuity the apple, that wasnt really an apple, had it.

Apologies for the poorly laid out pics. Every time I sit down to do a blog I promise myself I will take the time to get a lesson from my IT guru (Saoirse) on how to make it look better. But I never remember until I'm again sat down to do it. Ho Hum!

I will endeavour to not leave it so long between blogs moving forward. Fingers crossed for an Indian summer for us all.

Regards

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team.

Gentle Dental Christmas opening times & Emergency information

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Sorry to add more to your inbox but I want to get this blog out before Christmas so you know about our closure and emergency protocols.

I’m going to start with the exciting news……we have another dentist who joined the practice at the end of November. As you know Karenn, our dental therapist, left in June and Shilpa. a hygienist, took over 1 day. We decided to take the time to work out what will work best for clients and the practice rather than knee jerk reaction to filling Karenn’s role.

A dental therapist as you may be aware does hygienist work AND can also do fillings. So, another therapist or a dentist? Then Laura came on the scene and the decision was made - dentist. She will start working two days per week, Wednesday and Thursday and will build her days up over time.

Laura started her career with a degree in Zoology but there were not many positions for this around so she went to work in a bank. She felt she wanted a bit more contact with people and applied to do dentistry. While waiting for this to happen she started working as a dental nurse in a practice in Winchester. After qualifying she returned to this practice and has been working there as a dentist since.

Laura qualified from Aberdeen Dental School in 2017 and has continued to train and learn so that she can progress her skills. She has just completed a 'Cosmetic Dentistry and Aesthetic Restorative dentistry’ year long course which she feels has really enhanced all areas of her dentistry. She undertook this course as she has a particular interest in providing minimally invasive aesthetic dentistry which basically means, a bit like Rob, if you don't have to remove a bit of tooth, don't remove it. She has a very calm and caring nature and is especially good at making nervous clients feel at ease. This ethos and nature fits incredibly well with the team at Gentle Dental.

Laura is returning to work post maternity leave and has two daughters, Olivia age 3 and Sophie 9 months old. When not at work she enjoys being ‘Mummy’ to her two wonderful little girls and spending time walking outdoors in the beautiful countryside or baking. The latter does not bode well for the waistlines of the Gentle Dental team!

We also welcome Kensie to the reception team. It has taken a bit of time to find a replacement for Laura (now back from her travels) and Patricia, who is enjoying retirement. Kensie has worked as part of a reception team in a dental practice in Andover and last summer qualified as a dental nurse, so she brings a lot of experience to the team and has fitted right in at Gentle Dental.

Taryn got married to the wonderful Tom in November and boy has she given him an out! They got engaged on her birthday so she chose that date to get married. One date, double celebration. A lot of pressure for him in the future! Taryn hides her love of heavy metal/goth style while at work but she really let her inner goth out on her wedding day. As expected, she looked beautiful.

Rob and I completed our charity walks in aid of Wilton Riding for the Disabled. I did 100km (approx. 62 miles) on the South Coast in September and made it to the finish in just under 22 hours. My feet were wrecked!

Rob did 50 km (31 miles) in the Chilterns in an amazing 9 hours. If you work this out, he walked a faster pace than me - not that I am competitive or anything! No longer can he claim that he slows me down.

We continue to offer the Oral B vouchers for reductions on iO toothbrushes. However, the offers on the high street in the run up to Christmas are often unbeatable. If you need advice on which one to get and what is good value just ping in a text or email (or call) and I am happy to give you an idea of where to start. It can be a bit daunting when you walk in to a shop and are faced with several shelves of electric toothbrushes.

In a nutshell, Pro3 is the old technology and a basic brush, as in no bells or whistles, but it does a good job.

The new iO technology does give an amazingly good clean feeling. The difference is the old technology allows the brush head to ossilate and vibrate while the iO technology (magnets) also allows the bristle ends to move and vibrate, thus the really clean feeling.

iO 3 is the basic model, again no real bells or whistles, and charges on the old style charger. iO 4 upwards work with an app and each one has an increasing number of modes and gimmicks. The choice comes down to how much gadgetry you want and the price you are happy to pay. iO 4 upwards works on a newer style charger. Hopefully this gives a starting point but as I say, just give a call.

I would like to thank you all for your patience while we have been figuring out how best to move forward with staffing. With my diary full 8 months in advance and Karenns’ full for six months after her leaving date, it has been a juggle, to say the least! The reception team have been; and continue to work incredibly hard to bring appointment forwards a soon as the diary changes. It is beginning to even out and should improve massively from January when Shilpa (hygienist) takes on a second clinical day at Gentle Dental. She will now be able to offer appointment on Thursday as well as Tuesday.

Finally please make note of our Christmas closure. We will close at 2pm on Monday Dec 23rd and reopen at 8am on Thursday 2nd January. As always, emergency advice for registered clients is available during this period. Simply call the practice in the normal way and follow the instructions.

A reminder that if you are a member of the practice you have worldwide emergency cover away from home. SImply arrange to see a dentist, (Practice Plan can sometimes help with this in this country), keep your receipt and contact us on your return so we can assist with the claim process. The email you received when you joined will give details of how much you can claim back.

It now simply remains for me to wish you all a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Niamh, Rob and the Gentle Dental team

Teddy Bears Picnic

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Hello and Happy Easter.

I know the weather this weekend is not forecast to be great but it has been amazing to have some sunshine and even a bit of warmth over the last few weeks.

The header picture, teddy bears, is not exactly what you expect from your dentist. You might well ask what they have to do with teeth! Nothing really but a lot to do with Rob. Keep reading to get an insight into ‘the man behind the mask’!

As usual I have been tardy with keeping in touch. A feeble excuse but I’m going to use it anyway. I am normally a ‘find the good point/positive person’ so the words ‘I’m glad to see the back of…’ don’t usually pass my lips. But in January these exact words were definitely in my mind, if not on my lips.

We (hopefully) managed to appear like swans through 2024, calm and serene but under the surface we were paddling madly. It took an entire 12 months to find and retain new staff members when others left. I was beginning to get a complex about how horrid I must be to work for. However we now have a fabulous team, all settled in and enjoying working here. Fingers crossed no one else moves away or such like in the near future.

Team

I introduced Laura (dentist) and Kensie (Reception) in the last newsletter and both have settled in really well. Laura has been a great success. She has arrived into the practice, looked at how we do things and joined right in with that. So for clients it feels like the same level of service and friendliness.

I have to say Rob is mightily relieved as it takes pressure off him. We went on holiday in March and for a change he was not on call. No emergency calls while on the ski lift or worse, when he was downing a sneaky beer!

Joining the team we have two nurses. We survived 2024 with Kat, a long-term locum nurse who is amazing, and agency staff - sometimes not so amazing!

Zoe has worked as a nurse in another practice in Salisbury for 5 years and applied for the job because she fancied a change. Her background includes a stint in hairdressing and running her own cleaning company, so her customer service skills are A1. When not at work she is to be found on her allotment digging. We are all looking forward to fresh veg coming our way from the summer/autumn glut.

Harriet, who has joined us as a trainee dental nurse started her working life as a manager in a warehouse and eventually moved into dentistry. Why? When asked she said she has always loved teeth and wanted to be in dentistry.

She has worked in dental practices for several years, initially on reception and then as a treatment coordinator. In fact, it was Kensie who introduced her to the practice when we were advertising for a nurse as she knew Harriet wanted to try her hand at this.

Charity

As you may remember, the charity we have supported over the last year was Wilton Riding for the Disabled also knows as the Pembroke Centre. I did a 100km walk and Rob did 50km in support of this raising £210. Referrals of new clients from you guys means you raised £910 - a total of £1120 for the charity. Thank you for the incredible support. We really appreciate the personal recommendations. This is by far the best praise we can receive.

Laura has requested support this coming year for a charity close to her heart, the Ronald McDonald House in Southampton. Her oldest daughter Olivia, now 3,was born 10 weeks early and being able to stay there meant she and Mark could be close to her whilst she was in the NICU at Princess Ann in Southampton. Indeed over the years we have had numerous clients who stayed here while their children were ill and this felt like a charity the entire team could relate to.

Lots of you ask us what walking challenge we have planned this year for the charity and the answer is…none. I have ‘tweaked’ some ligaments in my knee and the physio has suggested no more than 30 mins of walking per day while I rehab it. As we do approximately 3km per day walking up and down the stairs at work, walking outdoors is not on the cards. I am completing a lot of crosswords and sudoku currently but so looking forward to being able to get out and about again! I’ll just have to plan a mega challenge for next year!

Consent for minors

As we get new team members, we gain information about what happens in other practices. One of the things that has been mentioned is that ideally, we should have written permission if someone other than a parent is bringing a minor to an appointment. It is all to do with consent to treatment.

As Rob and I know all of our clients really well it is not something we have considered necessary before. Often, we already know the grandparent, aunt etc who is bring the child along.

As the team expands it seems sensible to have a more formal arrangement in place. Therefore, when you are next at the practice, we ask that you complete paperwork giving permission for someone, other than a parent, to bring an under 16 year old to appointments. If you have any queries on this, please feel free to contact us to discuss it.

And so to the Teddy Bears.

Meet the Jukes Teddy Bear family (all three bears belong to Rob).

The largest is Ted which was given to him when he was one year old. When he was first working, he did a lot of travelling on his own and decided to bring a teddy bear for company. Not wanting to damage his old bear he bought ‘Little Ted’, the medium sized one who has travelled many places with him over the years.

With the limited baggage one is now allowed to bring on flights (without paying an arm and a leg), Rob sometimes found it difficult to fit Little Ted in so Saoirse, our daughter bought him ‘Tiny Ted.

The reason I have included them here is, Little Ted/Tiny Ted now have an Instagram/Facebook page and I though I would give it a shout out to increase their following. Rob is keen to make Little Ted famous! If you fancy following their (Robs) travels the links for Instagram and Facebook are below. I must warn you that Little Teds page is a bit like 'Where’s Wally' book, you have to search for the bear. And the other warning is he likes his food and drink so a lot of pubs etc feature. I have become a casualty of this particular interest. Enjoyment of food or a drink has to wait until the Teddy Bear pic has been taken!

On another note, I have been reprimanded by our web design and optimisation team. I have used the Blog page on the website for our newsletter and Google does not like this. Seemingly a blog should be on one topic and related to the business (and something Google likes). We get the majority of our new clients on personal recommendation but the next biggest referral source are our google reviews. If we are not visible on Google we don't get this business.

I will find a different medium through which to send out the news but the blog will need to alter. I promise not to suddently start sending lots of marketing things, but blogs on relevant health and teeth topics that I think will interest you.

Finally, we are closed over the Easter weekend closing on Thursday 17th at 5pm, reopening at 8am on Tuesday 22nd. If you are registered with the practice and require urgent dental advice over this period just call the practice on the normal number 01722413311, and select the option that will put you through to Rob.

Hope you all have a Happy and Chocolate filled Easter break.

Regards

Niamh, Rob, Laura and the Gentle Dental team

Salisbury Teeth Whitening Top Ups

Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

At our Salisbury dentist practice, we offer convenient teeth whitening top-ups for our existing patients who want to maintain a brighter smile. If you’re not yet a patient or are interested in starting your teeth whitening journey, be sure to visit our dedicated teeth whitening page for more information on how to brighten your smile.

Why Teeth Whitening Top Ups Are Essential

Over time, teeth whitening treatments can fade, especially if you’re consuming food and drinks that stain, such as coffee, tea, or red wine. To keep your smile sparkling, we recommend regular teeth whitening top-ups. This ongoing care ensures that your teeth stay bright without the need for a full treatment each time.

New Protocols for Teeth Whitening Trays

In line with the latest research and best practices, dental professionals now recommend that teeth whitening trays, especially those that have not been used for some time, should be checked by a clinician before additional whitening gel is applied. This ensures a proper fit and prevents any potential irritation or discomfort during your treatment.

How to Get Your Teeth Whitening Gel Top-Up

If you’re an existing patient and need more whitening gel for your trays, we’ve made it easy for you to top up your treatment. We suggest bringing your trays to your routine dental hygienist appointment. This way, you can conveniently get your gel without needing to schedule a separate visit.

Important Reminder: Pre-Booking for Whitening Gel

To ensure we have enough gel available for you, please call, text, or email us at least one week prior to your appointment to let us know you need additional teeth whitening gel. This allows us to set aside the gel specifically for you.

Please note, if you simply turn up without pre-ordering your gel, there’s a risk that all available gel may be allocated to other patients, and we won’t have any left for you.

Contact Us for Your Teeth Whitening Top Up

If you have any questions or would like to schedule your appointment, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help you maintain your bright, beautiful smile with convenient teeth whitening top-ups.

Affordable Invisalign in Salisbury

Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

At our Salisbury dentist practice, we’re excited to offer a special promotion on Invisalign clear braces. If you’ve been dreaming of a straighter, more confident smile, now is the perfect time to consider Invisalign treatment. Whether for yourself, a friend, or a family member, this offer could be the key to achieving your perfect smile.

Meet Laura – Your Invisalign Specialist in Salisbury

Our Invisalign treatment cases are now being managed by Laura, one of our qualified Invisalign specialists. As Rob transitions out of Invisalign cases due to his arthritis, Laura is eager to help our patients achieve their desired results. Her passion for Invisalign is clear, and she’s excited to guide you through every step of the process.

Invisalign Treatment Options and Pricing

Invisalign categorises its treatments based on the number of aligners required to achieve the desired results. At our Salisbury dentist, we offer two main treatment options:

Invisalign Go (up to 20 aligners): Now £3600 (previously £3825) – Save £285
Invisalign Go+ (up to 26 aligners): Now £3995 (previously £4255) – Save £260

Thanks to Laura’s negotiation with our Invisalign lab, we’ve secured a reduced fee, which means we can pass those savings directly onto you!

Exclusive Bonus: Free Teeth Whitening with Invisalign

As an added bonus, when you choose Invisalign treatment at our Salisbury dentist practice, we’re including free teeth whitening as part of your treatment plan. Teeth whitening usually costs £183 when booked separately, but with Invisalign, you’ll receive it at no extra cost, giving you a total saving of £468 on the Invisalign Go treatment and £443 on the Invisalign Go+ treatment.

Total Savings on Your Invisalign Treatment

Invisalign Go (20 aligners): Save £468
Invisalign Go+ (26 aligners): Save £443

These savings are a great opportunity to start your Invisalign journey and achieve the smile you’ve always wanted.

Get in Touch for More Information

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our Invisalign cost or the special offer, please contact our Salisbury dentist team. They will be happy to assist you and answer any queries you may have.

Why Teeth Cleaning Is Crucial for Your Overall Health

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

If you're a fan of Radio 4, like myself (yes, even The Archers!), you may have heard Michael Mosley’s insightful "Just One Thing" series. If not, I highly recommend tuning in, especially the episode titled "Clean Your Teeth". It’s full of valuable advice that goes beyond just keeping your smile bright.

While most people know that regular teeth cleaning helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease, many are unaware of the broader health benefits a clean mouth provides. Healthy teeth and gums don’t just protect your mouth—they support the health of your entire body.

The Surprising Link Between Oral Health and Overall Well-being

Good oral hygiene plays a critical role in protecting heart health, brain function, and even your immune system. Here’s how:

Heart Health: Poor oral hygiene can lead to gum inflammation. When your gums are inflamed, harmful bacteria can enter your bloodstream, spreading throughout the body. This can contribute to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Brain Health: Did you know there’s a proven link between oral inflammation and cognitive decline? Studies suggest that gum disease may increase the risk of conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Bacteria from infected gums can travel to the brain, causing damage over time.
Diabetes Control: If you have diabetes, maintaining healthy gums is even more critical. Inflammation from gum disease can make it harder to manage blood sugar levels, worsening diabetic symptoms and complications. Gum disease and diabetes often create a dangerous cycle, making it essential to protect your oral health.
Bowel Cancer: Research shows a connection between gum disease and an increased risk of certain cancers, including bowel cancer. Keeping your mouth healthy can potentially reduce this risk.
COVID-19: Oral health has been shown to play a role in how the body responds to illness. Studies suggest that individuals with poor oral health are more likely to suffer severe complications if they contract COVID-19 and may require more intensive care.

Why Flossing and Interdental Brushes Matter for Your Health

This is why Karenn and I often emphasize the importance of flossing, interdental brushes, and other tools designed to maintain your gum health. We’re not just reminding you to brush and floss for a cleaner smile—we’re encouraging you to protect your general health.

The good news is, adopting a solid oral care routine can help prevent these health risks. Regular brushing, flossing, and using interdental brushes can keep your gums healthy, lower inflammation, and reduce the chances of harmful bacteria spreading throughout your body.

Take Action for Your Health Today

If you haven’t already, make sure to check out Michael Mosley’s “Clean Your Teeth” episode on the BBC Sounds app. It offers excellent insights into how your oral hygiene directly impacts your overall health, and it's a must-listen for anyone serious about improving their well-being.

By investing a few minutes daily to clean your teeth, you're not only protecting your mouth but also promoting a healthier heart, brain, and body.

Conclusion: Teeth Cleaning for Better Health

We often underestimate the impact oral health has on our overall well-being. But now you know: brushing, flossing, and taking care of your gums isn’t just about preventing cavities—it’s about protecting your heart, brain, immune system, and reducing your risk of serious health issues like diabetes, dementia, and COVID-19 complications.

So next time you brush your teeth, remember: you're doing more than just caring for your smile. You're taking an important step towards better overall health.

We're a leading Salisbury dentist practice, please contact us or visit the practice if you want to know how we can help you keep your smile healthy.

Hygienist appointments, Birthdays and a one year anniversary

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Practice News

Hygienist appointments

I want to thank you all for your patience while we sort our overbooked hygiene diary. It is incredibly busy and we are addressing this with our search for another hygienist. However, we have failed to find the right fit for the practice and clients, so the search continues.

The overbooking is compounded by the fact that for my '0' birthday early n 2026, I am taking the month of April off and walking the Camino De Santiago from Lisbon to Santiago.

The reception team are doing a wonderful job of managing the diaries by moving appointments forward as the diary changes, which it does on a daily basis. So don't despair if you need to alter an appointment and we are booking you months ahead. The team will offer you appointments sooner as they become available.

My diary is the busiest so Shilpa, who has now been with us for 18 months, has more readily available appointments and is around in April. Just let the team know when you call/email/text that you are happy with whoever is free and they will book you accordingly. I've been here since the year dot, thus why my diary is so full.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

We seem to be having a rush of ‘0’ birthdays this year, (Jodie, Rachael and me) so lots of parties to go to. Jodie's 30th was recently (but a mere baby!) and it was cowboy themed. She really went all out on the decorations and the place looked fab, as did she. Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for pics.

As well as birthdays we are almost on a 1-year anniversary. Laura (dentist), has been with the practice since Nov 24 and we are so pleased to have her on board. She is proving very popular with clients and has really taken the Gentle Dental ethos to heart. I think it helps that Laura's start in dentistry was as a dental nurse as she can see each situation from both sides of the chair, as it were.

One of your main roles as a nurse is to monitor what's happening with the client and make the dentist aware if there is any change in body language/demeanour. She's had that thought process instilled from the start and it shows in her care with clients. Rob just had a hygienist wife who nagged it into him!

Also Laura being on board means Rob is not on call 365 days a year which he is loving!

Laura has completed her Cerificate in Cosmetic & Aesthetic Restorative Dentistry and is just about to continue year 2 to obtain her Postgrad Diploma so she can carry out more complex cases. And as you can see from her pumpkin carving, she definitely has an artistic ability.

As mentioned in the email, I have put together some information on the myriad of Oral B electric toothbrushes that are on the shelf. Click here if you want to read up on that and add on to your Christmas list.

Enjoy the Autumn.

Oral B Electric toothbrushes

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

At our Salisbury dental practice I get asked all the time which electric toothbrush to buy. Below is information on Oral B , Phillips Sonicare, Suri, Ordo as well as other ranges of electric toothbrushes.

Electric Toothbrushes

I'm going to start by issuing an apology – I mention the ‘C’(Christmas) word, not once, but twice below in the next few paragraphs. Sorry!

You may or may not be aware, but one of the biggest sellers for Christmas and Black Friday (which seems to last two months!) is… an electric toothbrush. And the deals available can be amazing. But how do you decide which brush to get from the many on the shelf/screen.

There are many brands of electric toothbrush available and I will mention a few briefly but my main focus is the Oral B electric toothbrush range.

Oral B Ranges

Oral B launched its new technology in 2020 with the iO range. This works on magnets rather than a shank driven motor which means as well as rotation and pulsation of the toothbrush head, the individual bristles vibrate. This, to my mind, gives an awesome clean (when used properly!). it is far less 'bumpy' and 'vibrational' the the old technology and therefore feels like a more gentle cleaning experience.

The table below outlines some information on various ranges including Vitality which is good for children as it is less powerful that the other ranges. They also theme the handsets in the latest movie characters.

Pro and Genius area good ranges with Genius offering a few more bells and whistles than Pro.

However, the iO range is fabulous so if you can stretch to it financially, it is worth considering getting one from this range instead of the others.

Warning - the iO2 is a great price but it is the old technology and will perform differently than the rest of the iO range. If the price attracts you, look at the Pro3500 instead.

Phillips Sonicare electric toothbrushes are also great and is ideally suited to people who like a very gentle clean. They feels less vibrational and aggressive in your hand than the Oral B range - although the new technology in the iO is almost comparable to Sonicare for gentleness. I find it difficult to discern the difference in the various ranges other than the number of modes, and the colour! Their website gives very little information on speed, battery life etc.

Warning - if your personality type is one which is..... 'get it done, tick the list, move on'....., Sonicare is definitely NOT the toothbrush for you. It just won't feel like it is doing the job at all.

Through the media especially social media, several 'new to the market' brushes have become popular - the main ones being Suri, Ordo and Foreo Issa. These are marketed on their sustainability and the length of time they last between charges (up to 30 days), which is considerably longer than the Oral B or Phillips brushes. Something to keep in mind is they are far less powerful, which is why the charge lasts so long, and they are more comparable to a manual toothbrush when it comes to their working action. Unlike the Oral B and Phillips where you place the brush head and hold the brush still for a count of 3, you actually have to work/jiggle the Suri, Ordo or Foreo Issa to get the results.

Hopefully the above information and the tables below will help with your decision making. If you need more information or have queries simply email them in and I'll endeavour to clarify thing for you. You may note that I have not mentioned how many modes are on the brushes. In my experience, most people use only one mode so the extra 4-5 are a bit of a waste of space. The only time I see people move between modes is when they fancy a sensitive mode. Other than the basic vitality brush, all the ranges (incl. Vitality pro) have a slower/sensitive mode.

Also the bigger brands will often package two handles together which can be a really good way to get handsets for all the family. Be warned there is only one charger so this as an optin for somone away at Uni, for instance, is not viable.

Happy Shopping!

Oral B Electric toothbrush ranges comparison

Range	Vitality (ideal for children)	Pro	Genius	iO
Method of working	2d Oscillates & Rotates	3d Oscillates, Rotates & Pulsates	3d Oscillates, Rotates & Pulsates	3d Oscillates, Rotates & Micro pulses*
Pressure Sensor	No	Yes no visible light	Light ring red/green Too hard/good	Light ring red/green/white Too hard/good/too soft
Battery Length	8 days	10 days	14 days	7-30 days
Recharging time	22 hours	22 hours	12 hours	16 hours
Price shops/online**	£25-50	£35 - 100	£60-120	£40-280

* micropulses means the bristles move independantly rather than just the brush head.

** Not RRP but the offer/price you can find them for

Oral B iO electric toothbrush comparison table.

Feature	iO3	iO4	iO6	iO10
Pressure sensor	Light ring red/green/white Too hard/good/too soft	Light ring red/green/white Too hard/good/too soft	Light ring red/green/white Too hard/good/too soft	Light ring red/green/white Too hard/good/too soft
Battery Length	30 days	15 days	10 days	8 days
Charge time	24 hours	16 hours	16 hours	3 hours
App/bluetooth	No	Yes 6 mouth zones visible	Yes 6 mouth zones visible	Yes 16 zones visible
Reminder to change brush head	Light on the handle	Visible on the display	Visible on the display	Visible on the display
Travel Case	No	Yes	Yes	Yes inbuilt USB charger
Price*	£50-65	£65-95	£95-130	£280 -830