As part of our mission to provide the highest quality dental care we are always striving for constant improvement.

In December 2019 staff took part in refresher training:

• CPR (CardioPulmonary Resuscitation)
• Use of the defibrillator
• Medical emergencies
• First aid

Henrietta of Tavistock Dental Practice recently attended a cosmetic dentistry course run by Style Italiano to learn about a new technique to create lifelike direct composite restorations on front teeth to enhance smiles in an easy and affordable way!

Here is an example of what is available now for our patients, provided by Henrietta.

This patient had old, discoloured, failing composite veneers/fillings covering the upper front teeth and he was no longer satisfied with aesthetics.

Using the new method these composite fillings were removed and the teeth had been restored by adding new composite giving our patient very natural looking new smile!

To find out more about this service, please get in touch.

Contact us

Most of us understand the importance of regularly visiting our dentist.  However, there’s perhaps less understanding of the role of the dental hygienist.

Tavistock House Dental Practice’s highly experienced hygienists help you look after your teeth by polishing unsightly surface stains and advising you of the best way to look after your teeth and gums.

In addition to advising you about areas you might be missing, they also remove the hard and rough scale deposits (“calculus” or “tartar”) from above and below the gum line.  These scale deposits are harmless if kept clean.  However, the presence of these hard deposits makes cleaning the tooth surface difficult and compromises hygiene efforts at home.  As a result, scale left above and below the gum line can harbour bacteria, causing gum inflammation (gums go red and start to bleed).  If this becomes chronic the bone supporting the tooth can recede and the tooth may eventually become loose or even be lost.  Accumulated bacteria is also a cause of bad breath.

Why should I visit a hygienist?

A clean and healthy mouth can help to provide confidence with fresh breath and improved appearance, but most importantly to prevent tooth decay and loss of supporting bone. Your hygienist can dramatically reduce the need for active treatment, whilst ensuring the longevity of fillings and other more complex work.

Our practice has four hygienists who work Monday to Friday including early mornings and some evenings.

You can find out more about the hygienist team here:
Hygienists

You can request a dental or hygienist appointment here:
Appointments

Most of us understand how important it is to brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, there is more mystery surrounding flossing.

Flossing is a common method of “interdental cleaning” which means cleaning between the teeth.  It helps to remove debris and plaque that can be hard to remove with a regular toothbrush.  An increasingly popular alternative to floss are “interdental brushes” – handheld toothbrushes designed specifically for use between the teeth.

Tavistock House Dental Practice recommend their adult patients perform interdental cleaning daily.  Recent research has also demonstrated that interdental cleaning before brushing is the best way to clean our teeth effectively.

The study found that flossing loosens bacteria and food debris from between the teeth, which allows brushing to be much more successful at removing plaque.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, believes the findings of the study illustrate why it is so important to make interdental cleaning part of our daily routine.

Dr Carter says: “While brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste is absolutely essential for a good oral health routine, this study shows that interdental cleaning also has a big part to play when it comes to keeping our teeth and gums healthy.

The Oral Health Foundation’s Guide to Interdental Brushing

Interdental brushes come in a range of different sizes, from as thin as 0.4mm to as thick as 1.5mm. Whichever one you use should fit between your teeth snugly but comfortably; you shouldn’t have to use much force. You may find you need to use a couple of different sizes, but the best way to find out is to ask your dentist or hygienist the next time you have an appointment.

1. Hold the interdental brush between your thumb and forefinger.
2. Gently place the brush through the gap between your teeth – don’t force the brush through the gap.
3. Brush in and out of each space between your teeth.

Tavistock Top Tip!

Using a small amount of fluoride toothpaste or Corsodyl gel on the Interdental brush and “pre-bending” it will help it glide between your teeth and stop it catching.

If you have any questions or would like assistance looking after your oral health, Tavistock House can help – call us on 01296 481615 or alternatively request an appointment here.

Request appointment

^{Mazhari F & Boskababy M et al. (2018) The effect of toothbrushing and flossing sequence on interdental plaque reduction and fluoride retention: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Wiley: Journal of Periodontology. 2018 Jul;89(7):824-832}

21/08/2019 Update

Henrietta has now raised over £1,100!!  Thank you again to everyone who has donated.  Please keep it coming: https://buff.ly/2YMXpjo

05/08/2019

We are proud to announce that Henrietta Bors of Tavistock House Dental Practice raised £700 for Myeloma UK via her daily cycle to and from work last week.  Henrietta smashed her target of £500.  Thank you to everyone who donated, and congratulations Henerietta!  If you'd still like to donate - it's not too late - just visit https://buff.ly/2YMXpjo

We are pleased to announce that Caroline Gerasch’s baby boy arrived on Monday 5^th August.  Thomas weighed in at 7 pounds and 8 ounces.  Warmest congratulations to you and your family, Caroline – and welcome to the world, Thomas! 😇

Maggie Treadaway who worked as a dental hygienist at Tavistock House for over 40 years lost her husband, Paul after a long battle with myeloma earlier this year.

In his memory I have decided to do a sponsored cycle to work and back - 26 miles each day - from Monday the 29th of July to Friday the 2nd of August.

I want to raise money to help myeloma research to help patients to receive the best care and treatment possible in the future.

All donations are appreciated!

- Henrietta Bors, Tavistock Dental Practice

https://justgiving.com/fundraising/henrietta-bors

Donate now

As part of our mission to provide the highest quality dental care we are always striving for constant improvement.

In May / June 2019:

• All dental nurses attended an implant refresher course
• Disinfection and decontamination refresher training
• All dentists are now qualified to carry out CFast tooth alignment
• All dentists are certified in the use of the Smile TRU tooth alignment system
• Henrietta Bors is certified for the fitting of Inman aligners

Tooth alignment