Smile Design Studio - Dr C Condie

21/10/2024

17/10/2024

Whitening Special for the Holidays! R1000.00 off on in-chair whitening. Call to book your appointment 011-883 1116

19/07/2023

When it's cold outside, exposed skin isn't the only part of your body that can be affected by a drier climate; colder temperatures can also affect your oral health. While snuggling up this season, remember to take special care of your teeth. This will help prevent common oral issues, like tooth sensitivity and dry mouth that often worsen during the cold, dry weather. Try these dental care tips for a healthier mouth this winter.

Moisturize Your Lips
Cold winter temperatures can affect the delicate skin on your lips, drying them out and causing chapped lips. Using a daily lip balm can protect them from the dry weather. Drinking water is a great way to keep your skin hydrated, with the added benefit of alleviating dry mouth symptoms. Because there is less humidity in the air during this chilly period, installing a humidifier in your home can add extra moisture.

Drink Water
Xerostomia (dry mouth) is an oral condition marked by insufficient saliva in the mouth. Dry winter air may worsen this, so be sure to say hydrated by drinking water throughout the day.

Do you experience a short, sharp pain in your teeth when trying to enjoy your favorite winter hot beverage? Broken down tooth enamel leaves dentin, the tissue beneath it, exposed. When this part of the tooth comes in contact with hot, cold, or acidic foods and drinks, it can cause discomfort. Cold temperatures, air, and wind can leave your teeth feeling uncomfortable too. Include toothpaste for sensitive teeth in your oral hygiene routine; they contain ingredients that protect exposed dentinal tubules.

Keep Warm
Cozying up with a blanket or putting on a jacket when stepping out into the winter cold are things you're probably doing already. For people with TMJ disorder, staying warm can help minimize jaw pain. It is normal for joints and muscles to tense up when experiencing colder weather. Ensure you are keeping toasty with a scarf or sweater to reduce clenching or tightening the jaw area.

While enjoying being with family, watching winter sports, or keeping warm by the fire this winter, remember to take good care of your oral health too. Keep moisturized and hydrated, as this will prevent chapped lips and alleviate dry mouth. Use desensitizing toothpaste if you have sensitive teeth. Knowing how to maintain your oral health during colder weather will reduce the likelihood of experiencing common mouth issues, leaving you with the chance to cozy up and have a good time.

04/04/2023

The Oral Health guide to Easter – Things to remember
by George Bushell

Easter, for many people means one thing, CHOCOLATE!

Chocolate used to be a treat after people had completed fasting as part of Lent, but now most people skip this part and indulge in chocolate during the lead up to the big binge on Easter Sunday.

When it comes to oral health, chocolate can unfortunately mean bad news because of its sugar content.
Chocolate equals sugar when it comes to oral health and over time it can have a huge effect on people’s teeth.
Limit chocolate to meal times only
It may be tempting to let children have chocolate every few hours but, this is one of the worst things as far as their teeth are concerned.
Each time we eat anything sugary, our teeth are under acid attack for around an hour. So, imagine giving children a sweet and sugary treat every few hours during the day. Their teeth would be constantly under attack!
The best course of action is to limit the amount of chocolate children eat, perhaps just one small Easter egg for each child and keep the number of times they eat their chocolate to as few as possible.

Instead of constant snacking, maybe just at meal times, which will reduce the number of times their teeth come into contact with sugar.
Find low-sugar chocolate alternatives
Keep an eye out for sugar-free and low-sugar chocolates because they will do considerably less damage to their teeth than products packed with sugar. Have a look at the labels. If you see any ingredients that end in -ose, it means it contains sugar and it’s best to steer clear if possible.
Don’t make chocolate a habit.

Regardless which sweets and chocolates little ones are given, there are healthier options that they should be eating on a regular basis.
A diet rich in vitamins, minerals, fresh fruit and vegetables, gives children the best chance of preventing gum disease as they progress into their teenage years and adulthood.
No chocolate an hour before bedtime

As mentioned earlier, whenever you eat or drink anything containing sugar, the enamel is weakened. Brushing directly after eating can cause even more damage because you’re brushing away the weakened surface.
Saliva is the body’s natural defense against acid attack. It takes about an hour for saliva to replace the minerals that the enamel loses.
Brushing straight after eating chocolate might seem to make sense but avoid this. Give teeth time to recover and then brush right before bed.

Happy Easter to all - travel safe and enjoy your long Weekend.

27/09/2022

Spring Special for the month of October:
FLASH Professional Whitening Treatment @ 15% off the regular price.
R5 000.00 includes: In-chair Professional Treatment as well as a Take-Home Maintenance Kit consisting of a pair of Bleaching Trays; 4 Syringes of Home Bleach and FLASH Whitening Toothpaste (Total Value R1 200.00)

17/06/2022

Best Dental Quotes
It is so important to brush your teeth to look after your winning smile! Smiling is good for your health and these dental quotes are a wonderful motivation to remember that they are your teeth, no dentist can clean them better than you!

1. “A dentist at work in his vocation always looks down in the mouth.”
– George D Prentice.

2. “Every tooth in a man's head is more valuable than a diamond.”
- Miguel de Cervantes.

3. “The tongue is ever turning to the aching tooth.”
- Thomas Fuller.

4. “For there was never yet a philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently.”
— William Shakespeare, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’.

5. “I like it when my mother smiles. I especially like it when I make her smile.”
- Adriana Trigiani.

6. “Blessed are those who can hold lively conversations with the helplessly mute, for they shall be called dentists.”
– Ann Landers.

7. “A smile remains the most inexpensive gift...”
– Og Mandino.

8. “I didn't want to be an actress. I wanted to be a dentist, but you never know what life will bring you.”
- Sofia Vergara.

9. “Some old women and men grow bitter with age; the more their teeth drop out, the more biting they get.”
- George D Prentice.

10. “I was created to create beautiful smiles.”
― Mosman Dental Clinic.

11. “But I often think if I had had my dental work done early on, well, maybe.”
- Morgan Freeman.

12. “There is no weaponry in the feminine armoury to which men are so vulnerable as they are to a smile.”
– Dorothy Dix.

13. “If you’ve put a smile on someone’s face today, you’ve done more good than you know.”
- Richelle E. Goodrich.

14. “When I was in sixth grade… I wrote my first sketch, 'The Dentist.' I played the dentist... what can go wrong at the dentist…”
– Trey Parker.

15. “In diagnosis, think of the easy first.”
- Martin H Fischer.

16. “A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.”
- Herb Caen.

17. “If Alien was my friend, I'd like to be with him when he went to the dentist…”
- Jack Handy.

18. “She laughs at everything you say. Why? Because she has fine teeth.”
– Benjamin Franklin.

19. “I always notice a person's smile. I'm a dental hygienist.”
- Winifred Hervey.

20. “Good dental care doesn't make you a good student, but if your tooth hurts, it's hard to be a good student.”
– Geoffrey Canada.

10/05/2022

Wisdom about Wisdoms .......

Wisdom teeth are famous all around the world as they cause all kinds of trouble. Having wisdom teeth out is one of the most common surgeries people can have – particularly in the mouth. Because wisdom teeth are in the mouth, they can be uncomfortable to recover from after you have had them out.

If you suffer with an impacted wisdom tooth you may have had on and off discomfort, pain or smell from your wisdom teeth for months or years before they are removed. What a frustrating set of teeth!

Not everyone needs their wisdom teeth out though – some of us have enough space and the wisdom teeth will grow in normally. They can be perfectly good teeth! When there is enough space.