TOOTH WHITENING

how do teeth become dark?

There are many causes for teeth to darken. The most common causes are consumption of staining foods (coffee, tea, red wine and colas), smoking, antibiotic staining (tetracycline), old fillings and genetics.

There are 2 types of staining external and internal.

External can be removed by professional cleanings in the dental chair and toothpastes. This however, does not remove internal staining and discolouration.

Internal staining is incorporated in the structure of the tooth and can only be removed by a procedure called “tooth whitening”

how does whitening work?

A whitening gel is placed in a custom tray made by the dentist which fits snuggly over your teeth and is done at home by the patient. The active ingredient in the gel is carbamide peroxide. The process is that the carbamide peroxide is broken down and releases oxygen bubbles which enter the tooth through natural channels in the tooth called tubules. This then gently whitens the discoloration and staining in the tooth.

how safe is this?

The procedure is safe if carried out by a trained dental care professional. Try to avoid going to have the procedure done by untrained individuals as they may cause damage to the gums due to poor knowledge of the facial anatomy.

Tooth whitening does not damage or alter the structure of the tooth.

The procedure is fast and predictable and can whiten the teeth from 2-16 shades lighter. It will not whiten denture teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings. However, after whitening the restorations can be changed to match the new whiter teeth. Some patients develop sensitivity to temperature. This is temporary and can be prevented by using a sensitive toothpaste or applying a desensitiser to the teeth which the dentist can supply .

how much does it cost?

The cost of treatment ranges from £350-£650 depending on the patient’s requirements after a consultation.

what is the difference between @home and laser whitening?

The other way to whiten the teeth is laser whitening. The procedure is done in the surgery. The dentist applies a very high concentration of carbamide peroxide gel to the teeth. Once the gel is on, a light is held over the teeth to accelerate the chemical reaction of the whitening agent. The result after laser whitening is less predictable than that with @home and can turn out to be expensive if repeated.

in conclusion

In my experience I find that using @home or using a combination of @home and laser gives the best results. Furthermore the advice to the patient is to apply the @home gel in the custom trays for 1 night every 2 months 1 year after the procedure. This can be relatively inexpensive as the only thing that need be purchased is the gel. The cost of which ranges from £12.50-£35.00.

 Blog written by Dr Rita.

With red lipstick back in fashion, our attention turns to creating plump luscious kissable lips. As far back as Cleopatra, women have been colouring and enhancing their lips. Fortunately we no longer need to crush beetles to achieve Cleopatra’s look.

Start with a glossy lipstick or gloss coating over a favourite colour, to create the illusion of fuller lips. But before applying any lip product give your lips a brush with your toothbrush, getting rid of any dead skin, making them softer and ready for moisturising.

Lips can be enhanced with ‘lip plumpers’ these contain either moisturisers or an irritant to encourage increased blood flow to the lips, giving that ‘bee sting’ look. However as these are temporary, don’t forget to touch up throughout the evening.

If you are looking for something that will last longer than an hour or so, there are also temporary fillers. These are made from 100% hyaluronic acid, a natural component found within the skin and on average last for 9 months.  If selecting this kind of treatment, dig out an old photo showing how you would like your lips to look again and remember that the bottom lip is naturally bigger than the top lip.

You can have the filler injected around the lip line and under the corners of your lower lip giving more definition and structure to your mouth or, directly into the lips depending on how much volume you want to create.

Scientific studies have shown that fuller lips give the illusion of looking younger than our years, so pucker up Girls.

At what point do you stop getting your hair dyed as a fashion statement and start dying your hair to hide the grey? And at what point does makeup become as essential as underwear when getting ready to face the world? When I was 21 I thought, like the rest of us that I would age gracefully.  Now 20 years later, the only nod to graceful I want to make is gliding gracefully in a pair of 7” heels.

The reality is we all want to look our best and never more so than in this competitive world, constantly bombarded with airbrushed pictures of perfect men and women.  Even if we choose to discard these images as unrealistic nonsense we can’t escape the feeling that most people are younger or at least look younger! Why can’t we still look as young as we feel, or at least wear as well as Cindy Crawford? All is not lost. Just like Cindy Crawford, our polished French and Italian cousins have a secret weapon that you too can have. Qualified aesthetic practitioners offer access to skin care products that can’t be bought over the counter. My own favourite is Agera Rx. Founded on over 10 years of research and provides greater results, with a higher concentration of active ingredients by using nanotechnology, and deeper penetration of the skin, than over- the -counter products.

And this is the secret.  Super-models attend their aesthetic practitioner like we regularly attend the dentist. Aesthetic practitioners give professional advice on skin care. The right products for your skin can be prescribed at the same and often cheaper prices than the high street. You can also avail yourself of the Nikki Hambleton-Jones “10 years younger” approach and enhance your regime with Botox, Dermal Fillers, Skin Peels and Micro-dermabrasion, whether it is for a special occasion, a pick me up or frankly in the words of L-‘Oreal  – “because you’re worth it”. Of course visiting a spa, dentists or receiving a home visit means you never have to share your secret, merely agree that you are aging gracefully.

If you wish you could be calmer and more relaxed but don’t know how, the answer is only a phone call away.

     Ben Cook is a top personal trainer and Master Hypnotherapist, and has a fantastic  track record of helping people make a breakthrough with anxiety management  and achieving their well-being goals.

      As an expert in Neuro Linguistic Programming, Eriksonian Hypnotherapy,  Stress Management and Holistic Lifestyle Coaching, Ben is one of  Scotland’s best qualified well-being professionals

      He can help you to make the psychological changes that will allow you to  control your stress, find some calm and…relax.

If you’d like to book an appointment for any of the following:

-          relaxation and stress

-          dental phobia

-          weight loss

Please call our clinic today to book in on 0141 332 8895

Someone asked me once, “what does it feel like when you’re excited?” I considered the question and replied, “well, my heart beats a little faster, my hands get damp and my throat goes a little dry. Sometimes, if it is particularly intense, I get butterflies in my stomach, and if they begin to fly in formation I figure the anticipation is a really good sign!”

They paused for a minute, pondered, and then said something I thought gave quite a good insight into dealing with anxiety. “That sounds a lot like being nervous to me!”

A visit to the dentist also has two interpretations – to some it is nothing more trying than a routine by which to maintain dental hygiene, to others it is a nerve-wracking situation to be avoided at all costs.

So if you are anxious and dread your annual visit, there are a number of ways you can help to manage anxiety when going to the dentist.

1. Tell them that you are an anxious patient – trying to hide your feelings will often make them more intense. Staff are usually very experienced in dealing with nervous patients and will be both sympathetic and eager to make the situation as pleasant as possible for you.

2. Nerves and anxiety are heightened when we continually run an image or scenario in our heads – doing something to ‘break’ this state can help enormously. Moving locations, going for a walk or doing something you enjoy before heading for your appointment can all help lessen the dread.

3. Being outdoors tends to move people into the Beta brain wave state – a ‘zone’ which is naturally more relaxed than being indoors, staring at the walls and focusing on the appointment. So, if you’re nervous, a walk around the block a few times beforehand can be hugely calming.

4. Touch your fourth (ring) finger to your thumb on both hands and breathe slowly and rhythmically. This is a yoga breathing technique which will help ease your mind and calm your body.

5. Smile! It sounds strange, but sometimes looking up and smiling can help pull you out of an unpleasant emotional state – body language and posture play a decisive role in controlling how you feel.

6. Research your dentist carefully. Look at pictures of the surgery and treatment rooms. When you lack knowledge or visual data your subconscious mind will intervene and think of things that will increase your anxiety. It is YOUR fear, after all, so YOUR imagination will be perfectly placed to think the worst. When you have definite knowledge (of the decor, of the staff uniform, of your dentist’s face) you will be better prepared and in a good position to feel in control. This will help you to deal more calmly with the situation.

If you follow these simple points you can help manage your anxiety a little better. Remember, no single technique is a guaranteed curative, but people who have become accomplished at managing their nervous state often use a range of these ‘tricks’ to to help keep calm

www.benjamincook.co.uk
Benjamin Cook is an NLP Practitioner and Hypnotherapist in Glasgow specialising in weight loss, phobia cure, smoking cessation and personal coaching. Please ask for more details of his services available at Bath Street Dental Practice.

Coming back to work after Christmas and New Year has meant a lot of hard work for our girls !

The amount of people with toothache over the Christmas period, who have had to be seen as emergencies and are now coming back to have their treatment finished has meant lots of extra and hard work. Running late at lunch times and finishing time has become the norm, but our girls have been very accomodating.

Here’s hoping February isn’t quite as hectic !

Weight Loss Mind Tricks Introduction

It’s a simple question, and at the same time one that’s remarkably difficult to answer in one sentence. Have you ever wondered just exactly how people manage to make changes when using NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Hypnosis that they have struggled with for years?

It’s simple really and yet at the same time quite complex. NLP and Hypnosis use altered states of consciousness, just like you have an altered state of consciousness when you are having a great time, or feeling quite bored.

Try staring at a kettle while it boils, and notice when you put the kettle on and you get a call, or have some other thing to do it seems to boil in no time, time distortion is one of the main giveaways of an altered state of consciousness.

So Lets say you live in Glasgow Scotland (like me!) and you’re looking for some help with weight loss, and are maybe you’ve considered a personal trainer or hypnotherapist to help you lose some weight.

How can NLP and Hypnosis help? Well it’s simple, if you’re losing weight you probably have a reason WHY you haven’t lost weight up till now, and it’s not just because you’ve eaten too much and not worked out enough, because it’s the reason WHY you’ve done that.

I wonder if you’ve ever in a quiet moment, asked what you get out of NOT doing things you’re supposed to, it’s quite a profound question. WHY do you make your life worse than it’s supposed to?

When you understand how to start dealing with these questions in an altered (hypnotic) state, you can truly understand how to start making your mind work for YOU.

When you’ve addressed these challenges, the diet and exercise regimes that were so difficult before, suddenly become far more straightforward.

When you’re in a trance, your mind relaxes and you get communication with the unconscious mind – that’s the part of you that makes you angry, sad, hungry.. but DOESN’T control your day today conscious thinking (which is the way most people try and control appetite or make changes to their habits)

When you have communication with your unconcious mind, you can then start to open up the dialogue and processes (using NLP and Hypnotherapy) that allow you to reach inside yourself and make changes outside of your concious awareness.

It’s a strange thought to think that things you don’t realise are the key to your success, and when they work you also won’t even be aware of them?

That’s the beauty of the system, it’s something you don’t even have to think about for it to work.

Article by: Benjamin Cook – Master Hypnotherapist, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss Coach and NLP Practitioner in Glasgow. Learn more about Ben at http://www.benjamincook.co.uk and http://www.glasgowpersonaltrainer.co.uk

Three Weight loss secrets to fight the festive flab

Did you ever look at the Calendar reading the 1^st of December, and just feel depressed. That’s right… I know I have, it’s such a difficult time of the year to get any exciting ideas about how to lose weight, and next summer seems such a long time away. The nights are cold, and warm comfortable and filling food just appeals so much more. It’s virtually impossible to feel really good and lose weight around this time of year… right?

Well… no one would argue that it’s easier to lose weight when the skies are blue, the flowers are blooming and you have the whole summer (in skimpy dressed) to look forward to (or dread! Depending on how you look at it. Well if you said it’s easier to lose weight in the summer you’d be right, but it can still be easy to lose weight in the winter, and more particularly in the run up to Christmas.

Here are some of (but not all) of my top tips for helping to make life just a little easier for yourself, without giving up your social life and friends around Christmas.

1. Manage your Carbs Carbs will make you put on weight! Plain and simple, if you eat more carbs than you burn, you’ll add weight. Now we do need some carbs, but usually not as much as we already eat. You can manage your carbs by watching out for danger foods like pastries, potatoes, pasta and rice. Often high carb foods are white and cream coloured so remember white or cream is a danger colour for foods around this time of year.

2. Walking all adds up If you’re really busy and don’t have that much time, walking adds up. Even if it’s parking your car in the furthest space from the shops, and just doing a little work to push your trolley back to your car, second by second, minute by minute… those steps add up and before you know it you may be doing 10, 20 or even 30 percent more exercise than you were the week before.

3. Avoid Sugars and alcohol together Alcohol needs to be used up for energy by the body immediately because it is toxic, so this means if you take in sugar through the foods you eat at the same time, the body cannot process that sugar, so it deposits it as fat instead! So all that weight loss effort will go for nothing, as those mince pies

will go straight to your hips! If you split up drinking alcohol from eating sugary foods, you’ll take on less fat when you do.

OK… so these three things aren’t the complete answer, but they are very easy to do – and every little adds up! So if you’re frustrated about making a start on helping yourself to be happier and slimmer this Christmas, why not give them a try.

Article by: Benjamin Cook – Master Hypnotherapist, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss Coach and NLP Practitioner in Glasgow. Learn more about Ben at http://www.benjamincook.co.uk and http://www.glasgowpersonaltrainer.co.uk

NLP and Hypnosis Explained

It’s a simple question, and at the same time one that’s remarkably difficult to answer in one sentence. Have you ever wondered just exactly how people manage to make changes when using NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Hypnosis that they have struggled with for years?

It’s simple really and yet at the same time quite complex. NLP and Hypnosis use altered states of consciousness, just like you have an altered state of consciousness when you are having a great time, or feeling quite bored.

Try staring at a kettle while it boils, and notice when you put the kettle on and you get a call, or have some other thing to do it seems to boil in no time, time distortion is one of the main giveaways of an altered state of consciousness.

So Lets say you live in Glasgow Scotland (like me!) and you’re looking for some help with weight loss, and are maybe you’ve considered a personal trainer or hypnotherapist to help you lose some weight.

How can NLP and Hypnosis help? Well it’s simple, if you’re losing weight you probably have a reason WHY you haven’t lost weight up till now, and it’s not just because you’ve eaten too much and not worked out enough, because it’s the reason WHY you’ve done that.

I wonder if you’ve ever in a quiet moment, asked what you get out of NOT doing things you’re supposed to, it’s quite a profound question. WHY do you make your life worse than it’s supposed to.

When you understand how to start dealing with these questions in an altered state, you can truly understand how to start making your mind work for YOU.

Article by: Benjamin Cook – Master Hypnotherapist, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss Coach and NLP Practitioner in Glasgow. Learn more about Ben at http://www.benjamincook.co.uk and http://www.glasgowpersonaltrainer.co.uk

The majority of girls in work are having another packed weekend this weekend. Last Friday 12 of the staff trooped along to the cinema to see the new Twilight film ” New Moon ” – swoon !!

This weekend some of the girls are off together to see the Rocky Horror Show at the Kings Theatre in Glasgow and then to the cinema again to see ” Paranormal Activity ” – to be sacred to death I think !

And its only 2 weeks this Saturday till the Practice Christams Night Out at the Hilton in Glasgow.

With Christmas coming up and all these nights out its a wonder we have any time to come to work !