The Power of Plastic...

Over the years, I've found that most people are genuinely surprised at what a dentist can do for them - right when they don't expect it.

At events where maybe we've been promoting our more "headline" services - such as tooth whitening and invisible braces - we also get into conversations about things which we don't realise that people don't know about and as a profession maybe take for granted......

So, heres an example: Invisible repairs to teeth.

How many people do I end up talking to whilst having to force myself to look at the floor, because they've got an alleged white filling on a front tooth that is the colour of vegetable soup and in dire need of retirement?

If this is you - rejoice - it needn't be like that. Neither do you need wall to wall veneers or a remortgage. You know how you can get stone chips in your windscreen fixed with that big sucky thing and some clever clear resin? I think its someone like Autoglass.....Well, this the toothey equivalent - we can repair the damaged bits and leave what is good well alone.

I spent an great day with a superb teacher in London last week building teeth, which to me is about as good as it gets - yes, sad I know. If you're brave you can check out the pic on my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62792&id=100000194880472&l=79d3fd0f7b

Using the latest plastic resin techniques, built up in tiny layers with coloured tints and spots to mimic tooth structure, we made the teeth of 20 year olds, of 50 year olds, and 70 year olds. All different, all constructed to reflect the effects of time on our little enamel friends.

The benefit? Simply that a properly trained dentist can make good the bits of a natural tooth that are missing or damaged, leaving the good bits alone - and you can't see the join.

I don't refer this work as "doing fillings" - its art.

How does that sound?

Teeth and tarmac don't mix....

A young lad , lets call him Zak, came in as an emergency with his mum this afternoon.

Zak’s eleven, and he’d taken a flyer over a skipping rope at dinnertime. Sadly, the inevitable impact was right on the end of one of his top front adult teeth, and the tooth snapped.

The school rang mum, and she quickly phoned us. Within an hour he was with me and we did what we needed to do.

We fixed the broken bit – you can’t see the join. Importantly we repaired the damaged nerve, which was there for all to see in all its glory and not a Good Thing at all. Zak didn’t complain because he didn’t feel a thing…..

Mum was distraught but bravely hiding it. After we’d finished, and no doubt feeling all the guilt that mothers feel in situations like this, she asked me what would happen to Zak’s tooth in the future.

I said that it’s not certain, but the chances of the tooth recovering, remaining healthy and staying put for life were massively improved by the quick actions of both the school and mum. She cheered up and smiled.

So:

If you have a kid who falls over and cracks a tooth, or worse, knocks it out – remember this:

If the tooth is right out, be brave, put it right back in the socket and get to your dentist fast.

If the tooth’s not out, but has snapped – get to your dentist fast – the nerve might just be damaged.

Nuff said

Throwing the (Forests) out with the Bathwater

A short one from the heart today. Like millions of the population I've spent many happy days mucking round in forests.

I grew up just over the water from the Forest of Dean and we walked, camped, caravanned, climbed (yes - there are rocks there too) and generally had a good time in a great resource.

I now have a choice of Mountain biking some of the best purpose built trails anywhere, here in the Lakes, at Whinlatter or Grisedale forests. I was out on the bike yesterday, and like hundreds of others we were enjoying a prize asset that is the result of some inspired thinking. Not to mention the walks for people of all ages, great cafes, and the opportunity for people from urban areas to get out into wild places for free.

So...the government think its a great idea to sell it all off.

I understand about economics. I understand about national debt.

I'm not at all certain that selling off national forests is going to save the economy.

And I don't believe that there would be anything to motivate a new private landowner to keep the existing facilities either in good condition or in fact open at all.

So - if you've got this far - how do you feel about it? If you're interested, follow the link below to 38 Degrees' website and sign their petition opposing the selloff.

There isn't a lot of time.

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/save-our-forests

Don't do this at home...

Most of my friends and colleagues know that I've been a volunteer member of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team for many years. All team members have to be trained appropriately and must keep their skills up to date. As a team, we go out and practice twice monthly, and today we had a "Special"!!

Whilst we spend most of our time on the mountains and fells in the northwest Lakes, the disastrous floods that wrecked parts of Cockermouth in 2009 proved that as a rescue organisation we also need to be prepared for just about anything. Whilst the Fire and Rescue services would normally be expected to deal with people falling into iced over lakes and ponds, it is possible that we may end up having to deal with just this situation as well. So it seemed like a good idea to work off some turkey and pudding in Bassenthwaite lake today by practicing - seeing as its iced over at the moment.

We have a variety of ropes, stretchers, inflatable rafts, boats and so on designed for water rescue and we spent a couple of hours in near freezing water working out how best to extricate team members acting as casualties.

This done, getting as many of us as possible into the hole was just too good an opportunity to miss....and yes we were in dry suits!

If you'd like to know more, please check out the team's website at www.cockermouthmrt.org.uk

Advent Smiles - an offer for you!

York Place Dental is doing its bit to brighten the winter mood and raise a few smiles! For each day of advent, we are offering one person whiter teeth for Christmas at a half price.

That means:

Home whitening for only £180...

Power Whitening from only £300...

So you or a friend could have the smile you've always wanted sooner than you think!

This offer is open to anyone - but once its gone - its gone. If you know anyone who might be interested - let them know. Just enter your details in the box on the right to send us an email, or ring Ruby or Diane on 01228 533431.

There are only 18 days to go....

Our Cockermouth flood story.wmv

Whilst I don't think its healthy to dwell on the downsides in life, I came upon this short film by Chris Freer today. It's almost exactly a year since my home town was flooded so dramatically, and as a member of Cockermouth Mountain rescue team I was able to do something that directly helped the rescue and recovery effort.

Whilst films and pictures of the events of those few days are readily available, this piece shows quite neatly the way that Chris and his young family were affected by what happened.

In the meantime, the town is nearly fixed and most of the building work is complete.

Are you interested in sailing?

A different story this time - and its a positive sort of feel good non dental one one - so stay with me.

I've been a frustrated sailor - i.e. I cant do it, but want to do it - for 45 years, and finally this year I got off my rear end and did what I'd always intended to do, and got myself some sailing lessons. A couple of days in the Lakes where we live and then a week in Cornwall at Percuil (www.paddleandsail.com) and me and the Son And Heir Ed were at least vaguely competent with some certificates to our names.

We're at the point now where we need to get some time on the water, and a friend suggested that we buy a Mirror Dinghy. These are small wooden sailing boats, ideal for a couple of people and a cheap way of developing our skills without killing ourselves. So, I checked on the web and we found a promising looking boat on Ebay being sold by a company called Wirral Ark Dinghies (www.wirralarkdinghy.co.uk/home) in Birkenhead, Liverpool, which we eventually bought.

Wirral Ark Dinghies is a Social Enterprise company, linked to a Charity called Wirral Ark, that houses homeless people in the Birkenhead area. They have a hostel, 6 "Move on" houses and the Dinghy Enterprise. Residents strip down and refurbish old Mirrors as a work therapy. Because most Mirrors were built in the 60's and 70's, and because there were tens of thousands of them made, there are now a lot of sad old boats sitting in corners of the UK slowly rotting away. Bob, a retired bank manager who runs the business, told me that most of the dinghies that they refurbish are donated and that he has picked them up from all over the UK - ours apparently came from Abersoch.

Ruth and I drove down to collect our purchase (no name yet...) a couple of weeks ago, and we met and thanked the team who had worked on her. I think sometimes its quite easy to forget that there are people who don't have a home, have had massive social or health issues, and have lost their ties with the things that perhaps we take for granted. Our little boat is blue, has orange sails and we took her home on the roof of the car and she's now filling the garage. As soon as I can get a launching trolley we'll be out on the water, and I'll be thinking of that small group of lads down on Merseyside that breathed life back into her.

If you've thought about getting into sailing, and want a cheap way in, I can't recommend Wirral Ark Dinghies enough....and if you've got an old Mirror that you don't need any more, or if you know someone else who has, get in touch with Bob via the website, he'd be very grateful.

the link again: www.wirralarkdinghy.co.uk/home

Thanks!