lWhen you hear the words self-care what immediately comes to mind? Is it booking yourself in for a massage or a haircut? Going to the gym for a couple of hours? Or finally catching up with your friends? What about going to the dentist? Did that cross your mind? Do you associate good oral hygiene with self-care? Now ask yourself, how regularly do you attend the dentist? Do you only attend if there is a problem? If you answered no, then have a gold star! If you answered yes, have a think about why that is. Is it because of cost? Is it the fear of pain? The lack of understanding of not attending regularly? Bad experience? Or maybe you just don’t think that your self-care includes your dental health. If that is the case, then continue reading to see why you should include dentistry in your overall health and care.
A study in 2014 found that 36% of the population have dental fear. In 2018, a study of 18,000 people from around the world found that 61% had dental fear and 4% had never seen a dentist because of this. You are not alone. Many people are fearful of the dentist. But this can mean that dental visits in future become more stressful for you. Please remember that Dr Latha and the Team at Re:Nu Dental & Medispa are trained to treat nervous patients and see many anxious patients throughout their day. The first step is attending the appointment. Dr Latha will work at your speed to make the appointment as comfortable as possible. If you have had past experiences that have left you feeling scared or nervous then please let our team know. We have relaxing music to help you calm down and you can choose what you watch on the flat screen right above your head.
But what if you’re reading this and you think, I’m not scared of the dentist, going to the dentist isn’t important. Let’s explore that reasoning.
Oral Health & Well Being
Poor oral hygiene has been scientifically linked to cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, obesity, diabetes and metabolic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and several cancers. We all know about the dangers of smoking and alcohol on the body, but have you ever thought about your dental health? Did you know there were so many systemic diseases associated with poor oral hygiene? A trip to see our wonderful dental hygienist Sara will ensure that you are at your pinnacle of dental health meaning that you do not need to worry about problems caused by your oral hygiene if you maintain it at home.
You don’t have to brush all your teeth. Just the ones you want to keep.
— Dr Seuss
But I hear some of you say, it is so expensive to attend, its simply better to go when I have an emergency. Let us discuss.
Remember, Dentistry is not expensive……. Neglect is!
Attending Re:Nu regularly allows Dr Latha and Sara to spot any problems that you may have before they turn into something more costly and invasive. For example, if you attend the practice twice a year for a dental examination and hygiene visit it will cost you £125 for a new patient exam, £79 for a 6 month recall check-up, and two times £134 for your dental hygiene (without add on’s). In total this costs £472. Over 12 months, this equates to around £1.30p/day which ensures you keep smiling confidently and eat comfortably.
What is involved in a new patient consultation?
In that new patient dental assessment, you will have x-rays (if you are not pregnant). Those dental x-rays show Dr Latha what is occurring underneath the enamel and various parts of the teeth that we cannot see. Imagine if you did not attend for these x-rays and you had a hole that grows quite large before you notice there is a problem leading to you needing a filling. The cost of a fillings starts from £215. But if the hole is too big then you may need an inlay or onlay. They start from £949. Now imagine the decay has reached the nerve of the tooth causing you pain. To save it you may need a root canal and then a crown placed on top. These cost from £550 and £949, respectively. You may be unlucky and then tooth may need to be extracted. The cost of that starts from £179. But then you may want to have the tooth replaced. This is more expense. So, is £472 really that expensive?
But, I hear you think, I do not like my teeth so I shouldn’t worry too much about them, nobody sees them anyway. Let us investigate.
Smiling increases perceived attractiveness. Who does not want to be seen as attractive! They also influence interpersonal judgments. How often have you found people who are smiling to get preferential treatment. Or how often have you heard attractive people have it easier. If you have confidence and can say you are happy with your mouth then you are more likely to smile more. This will influence your day-to-day life.
“Your smile is the first thing many notice about you”
Dr Latha and Re:Nu will listen to your concerns and ensure that you leave the practice the best version of you. Unhappy with the straightness of your teeth, discuss Invisalign. Unhappy with the colour, discuss whitening. Unhappy with the length, discuss tooth bonding. There are many different ways we can help you achieve your dream smile, but we can only help once we know what the problems are. Nowadays, the ’it thing’ is to have the Instagram perfect smile. We can discuss your options with you and will continue to help as much as we can for you to achieve this.
Finally, I want you to think about if any of these relate to you:
- There are not enough hours in the day – Re:Nu offers early morning, late evening, and weekend appointments.
- I always have to be productive – with advances in technology dental treatment has come a long way. You do not have to sit with impression material in your mouth or return if something is wrong with the impression. We scan your teeth and submit all our information digitally. We also have Wi-Fi in case you need to answer any important emails.
- I am struggling with my mental health – We understand, the world is not showing us many positives currently. Therefore, we will not force you to complete something you cannot. Sara and the team will collaborate with you to create manageable treatment plan for you. If you struggle brushing your teeth in the morning and before bed do not worry! Literature says that the most important time to brush is before bed and one other time of the day. So do not feel guilty if you brush at lunchtime.
- Self-care is selfish – self-care is simply taking care of yourself!
You care about the needs of other because you love them. It is time to start showing yourself that you love you too! And you can start by booking in your dental examination with Dr Latha and the team at Re:Nu Dental & Medispa.
If you would like to book an appointment for your child or yourself, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at RE:NU
Please call our practice today on +44 (0)2081674185 OR email hello@renudentalmedispa.com to arrange an appointment.