Another sporting brace-wearer

Congratulations to British gymnast Beth Tweddle for her amazing gold medal for the floor exercise at the Gymnastics World Championships in London this weekend.

Not only is Beth proving that 24 year-olds are not too old to be top gymnasts, but that adults can wear braces too.

You can do anything wearing braces!

This is Shelly Ann Fraser, the fastest woman in the world (and Jamaican of course), proving that just because you wear braces you don't need to put your life on hold. This week she won the 100 metres at the Athletics World Championships, she looks pretty happy about it too!

I love "brace-spotting" on TV or in magazines. There's a Jamaican hurdler wearing braces and during the World Swimming Championships in Rome a few weeks ago I spotted at least one swimmer braced-up!

Is tooth whitening safe?

This morning I read a report about a man who unwittingly caused some severe dental damage through tooth whitening. So bad, in fact, that he will lose some teeth. Horrifying isn't it?

Before you throw away your trays and gel you need to know the full story. The person in question bought a product over the counter. It had no instructions and he used it every day for about three years. It had such a low pH that it eroded his teeth severely. It also contained levels of whitening agents higher than that permissible.

Many of my patients whiten their teeth at the end of orthodontic treatment. It's easy to do and very effective. Is it safe? YES! But...only if recommended by your dentist who can explain the advantages and disadvantages and instruct you in how to use the product. Over the counter or online products are available but in general they are much less effective than ones prescribed by your dentist or as in the case above may be dangerous.

Your options are "laser" whitening in the dental surgery or night time whitening using a mouthguard tray and gel system. I recently heard about Smilestrips as an alternative to trays/gel which should be available near here soon. Whitening is an excellent way to invest in your smile but please take time to talk to your dentist about whitening and never buy products online or in the chemist.

How to make your orthodontist happy

This is Laura showing off her smile. I think I made her week by completing her treatment in time for the school Prom. She managed to make my week too, not only did she give me some flowers and a bottle of wine (thank you!) she wrote some lovely comments which I had to share.

"Thank you so much. I know I haven't always been an easy patient but thanks for your encouragement. If it wasn't for you I would have wanted them off many a time. Worth the pain now though"

Laura's mum writes "The final smile says it all! Nearly two years of appointments, some pain, tears and laughter have all been worth it. The option of screws as an alternative to headgear was fantastic and would recommend it to anyone to reach perfection. All staff at the practice have been fantastic, particularly Megan, who has a fantastic approach with teenage girls! Dale and Anna have been great co-ordinating appointments. I can't thank you enough for this beautiful smile."

What was your first impression?

I was away on holiday when Susan Boyle made her appearance on "Britain's got talent". I have to say, I was really wondering what all the fuss was about. So last night, prompted by a friend, I watched the performance on YouTube.

WOW! What an amazing voice, I was almost crying at the end.

The thing that strikes me about this is that everyone, judges and studio audience included, made the mistake of making assumptions about her based on her appearance and her intial comments on stage.

What is the lesson here? Is it that we should look deeper than the surface? Or is it that, despite all we try, we are unable to look beyond the surface until shown otherwise? First impressions really DO count!

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares

I really enjoy this programme. If you haven't seen it (where have you been?) Gordon visits a failing restaurant and turns it around in a few days. It usually involves falling out with the owner, completely rewriting the menu and a makeover of the restaurant. Gordon is actually very good at this, he builds on their current strengths and invariably simplifies the menu at the same time as encouraging a team spirit.

Its so easy from an outsider's point of view to see where the owner is going wrong. It really highlights the need to have the "full package"; good food, lovely decor or excellent customer service are no good on their own, it has to be all together. In the same format "Mary Queen of Shops" is another excellent programme and when Mary Portas talks about "tribes" I am sure she has read Seth Godin's book on the subject.

One of the reasons I love these shows is that I can understand the processes Gordon or Mary are taking the owners through. I have been fortunate over the last few years to work with Chris Barrow, a dental business coach who helps dentists run efficient and profitable practices that patients love to visit. Not so different from a shop or a restaurant really, its not about excellent dentistry (although that is of course essential) its about the customer service, the ambiance, the team spirit and the systems that help the place run smoothly.

I am always looking for ways to improve my practice, however big or small, though sometimes it needs an outsider to point out where you are going astray. But I know we are doing something right because our patients thank us and write lovely testimonials at the end of treatment.

Another veneer article

Following on from my blog of a few weeks ago here is another article about cosmetic veneers, shorter but less biased than the previous one (its from The Times). Thanks to fellow orthodontist David Horobin who posted it on his blog.