The thought of finding a new dentist can be quite daunting, particularly if you have been comfortable with the same dentist for any length of time.

Whether you have moved to a new area, had an unpleasant experience elsewhere or just fancy a change the process of finding a new dentist is rarely an easier one.

We have written this guide to try and give you a few hints and tips of what to look for when searching for a new dentist to make sure you chose a practice and a dentist that suits your individual needs.

Get the gossip......
The most effective way to find a good dentist is to speak to friends and family.  A personal recommendation is the best means of finding out exactly what it is like to be a patient at any given practice.  The personal experience of those closest to you can be an invaluable tool in determining whether or not you would be comfortable with a particular dentist.

The internet is your best friend.....
In today's digital world you can find out almost anything online.  This applies to dentists as well.  Most dental practice's have an online presence and can be found in social platforms such as Facebook and Google+.  These sites give patients the opportunity to leave reviews which can be a great indication of what you can expect from a practice.  You could also check out the NHS Choices website which also allows public reviews.  A good practice will have an easy to navigate, informative website that should tell you everything you need to know about them.

Pop in and say hi.....
So you've asked around, looked online and you think you've found a great practice now's the time to put it to the test.  Pop in and speak to them about becoming a new patient.  Talk to them about your needs, ask to have a look around and get a feeling for whether or not you like the place.  You shouldn't feel pressured to join or book an appointment and you should be given all the relevant information such as a price list and practice information.  You should be given the opportunity to ask questions and even go away and think about things before scheduling an appointment.

100% of patients asked would recommend Birchfield!
At Birchfield we will always warmly welcome prospective patients and give them all the information they need.  We pride ourselves on offering an outstanding level of service and we'd be thrilled to see you at the practice.  Please feel free to check out the New Patient section of our website or visit google+ or Facebook to read our recent reviews.

If you have any questions or would like more information about Birchfield please don't hesitate to get in touch or call 01425 615080.

As parents we all want our kids to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and we carefully select the foods that we allow them to eat from an early age.  

What seem to be healthy choices are not always good for your teeth and it is this fact that has led to confusion amongst parents and unfortunate rates of decay amongst children.

The Health and Social Care Information Centre reports that almost 26,000 children in England aged between five and nine have been hospitalised for multiple tooth extractions in 2013-14 - that's the equivalent of almost 500 a week.

It's hard to know what is right when it comes to diet, on one hand you have guidelines such as 'Eat your 5 a Day'- great advice however what this guidance fails to tell you is that many 'healthy' fruit based snacks and drinks contain some of the highest concentrations of sugar and are therefore very bad for your teeth!  Don't misunderstand our intentions, we are not suggesting you stop giving your kids healthy fruits and vegetables but if you want to ensure their long-term tooth health we have some simple steps you should follows:

1. Restrict high sugar/acid foods and drinks to meal times, this includes fresh fruit
2. Avoid giving your child high sugar drinks including fruit juice and fizzy drinks (even sugar free varieties) stick to water wherever possible
3. If you must give your child a snack between meals, try and restrict these to 'tooth friendly' snacks, low in sugar.  Always check the labels for hidden sugars, foods you may think are a great choice can often be very high in sugars!

Check out this article for more information.

The Inman Aligner is a great treatment for those with minor alignment problems at the front of the mouth.

This patient was unhappy with her smile due to here mis-aligned front teeth and slightly rotated lateral incisors.  The Inman appliance was a great option to solve this straight forward case in a short space of time.

This is what the patient thought of the whole experience!

This young lady came to see us with the desire to straighten her upper teeth.

Her upper teeth were mildly crowded with some rotation on her upper lateral teeth.  In addition she felt that some of her teeth looked longer than others.

We carried out a consultation to determine her suitability for treatment and to discuss the various options available and we agreed that Six Month Smiles Cosmetic Straightening was the best option for her.

After taking some impressions of her teeth and sending them to the Six Month Smiles laboratory in the USA, we fitted braces in November 2013.

Wearing Six Month Smiles braces is a very discrete way to straighten your teeth, with clear brackets and wire you can barely notice them.

Once the braces are fitted it usually takes a week or so for you to get used to them.

During treatment it is necessary to visit the dentist regularly for adjustments to the moving teeth and the braces.

Just a little under 5 months later we achieved a dramatic change in this young ladies smile.  As you  can see from the pictures above the upper teeth have been moved into the correct position and we now have a lovely straight smile.

To compliment the fantastic result we achieved with the alignment of this smile, we carried out a short course of at-home tooth whitening to further enhance her smile.

I think you will agree this case was a huge success.  If you would like to find out more about this amazing treatment please get in touch to arrange your FREE consultation.

It is believed that around 23% of couples sleep in separate bedrooms as a result of snoring!  It is hardly surprising that snoring is cited as the third most common reason for divorce.

Telling your partner that their snoring is disturbing your sleep can be a difficult task but it's important to remember that snoring is not an annoying habit but rather a symptom of something that can usually be fixed.  In some cases snoring can be a signal of a serious medical condition known as Sleep Apnoea, so it's important that you make your partner aware of their snoring and encourage them to seek help.

It is fair to say that the market is flooded with gadgets and gismo's aimed at curing your snoring troubles but it's hard to know where to start.  The problem with over the counter snoring remedies is that they don't address the cause of your snoring and it is therefore pot luck as to whether they will have any effect.

If you are serious about stopping snoring, the first step is to find out what type of snorer you are as this will determine what treatment is going to work for you.  

Here is a list of our tried and tested methods for stopping snoring.

#1 Lose weight
#2 Stop Smoking
#3 Avoid alcohol for at least 4 hours before bed
#4 Change your sleep position, try to stay on your side
#5 Book your FREE snoring assessment with us

Call today on 01425 615080!