28 Penallta Road, Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, CF82 7AN | T:01443 816160 / 01443 812559

3 Ashgrove Terrace, Nelson, Treharris, CF46 6LR | T:01443 451851

Easter Competition Terms and Conditions

  • The competition is run by Grove Surgery Ltd, via The Grove Dental Practice Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheGroveDental/
  • No purchase necessary
  • Entries must be replies on our original post on The Grove Dental Facebook page
  • Competition is open to children aged 12 and under
  • First prize is an art set and easter egg, second and third prizes an easter egg each
  • Prizes are not transferable
  • Prizes cannot be collected, delivery only. Please do not post your personal details or address online, we will request these to be sent to us privately when we announce winners.
  • Open to entries for delivery within 5 miles radius of CF82 7AN or CF46 6LR
  • One entry per person
  • Winner will be chosen by The Grove judging panel – entries will be judged anonymously ie entries will  not be linked to the posting Facebook account during judging
  • Competition closes 3pm Wednesday 8th April

Good Luck!

Keeping a Healthy Smile During Lockdown

Whilst we are all doing our bit for society and staying at home, we tend to succumb to a loss of routine and play on phones more, snacking rather than eating meals to try to fill the time.

Dental practices throughout the UK have been forced to close in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19. Appointments at Emergency Dental Care Centres are limited at present. Broken teeth, lost fillings, crowns and bridges are not deemed a priority and will not be seen. To limit the chances of this happening, please consider these measures:

Avoid sticky toffees and hard sweets

Accepting a toffee, hard chocolate or boiled sweet that you normally wouldn’t eat is the most common cause of tooth fracture. Even though many of us are spending more time at home this is not a holiday season like Halloween or Christmas and try stay to your normal healthy diet.

Eat only 3 meals a day

Avoid snacking in between these. Easy to reach snacks such as biscuits, cakes, packets of sweets, chocolate bars and toffees (yes, them again!) are high in sugar and break teeth. This also increases our insulin levels causing weight gain. Chocolate is my preferred treat and if I’m treating myself, I aim to eat this immediately after a meal, therefore limiting the effect it will have of my teeth.

Start with a healthy breakfast

Porridge, whole wheat cereals (Shredded Wheat, Weetabix, Bran Flakes, All-Bran) are an excellent source of fibre, are lower in sugar and keep you feeling full for longer. Current advice is to brush your teeth before breakfast because at night we don’t produce saliva and essentially our teeth dry out and are most prone to tooth decay early in the day. Resist the urge to top them with sugar or honey (yes this is sugar too) but instead put some chopped fruit to sweeten them if necessary. Although quite scarce right now eggs are a great source of protein and also fill you up.  They can be cooked numerous ways and can be a fun way for kids to enjoy their food.  My kids enjoy a “dunky” egg or “dippy” egg.  Omelettes, scrambled, poached, fried – they all taste amazing.  Whilst we have this unprecedented time with our families, we can help to get them involved with cooking skills.  Get them to look up recipes online and cooking methods.  The majority of recipes are free of charge especially BBC good food guide.

Sugary cereals often come in brightly coloured boxes and feature an animated character on the front. These are aimed at children and contain alarming amounts of sugar. High sugar foods are metabolised much quicker and therefore you feel hunger at a faster rate therefore you are more likely to eat again putting your teeth at risk.

Drinks

Be aware of what you drink. Many drinks contain acids to make them fizz or acid from fruit and this slowly erodes teeth away. This often goes unnoticed until teeth, especially from teeth start to chip away, even if they say “sugar free” or “zero”.   Fruit juices also should be avoided or diluted right down.  Whole fruits are not destructive to teeth as when you eat them, they still contain the fibre which helps to neutralise the sugar.  Smoothies are less of a problem as they still contain fibre.

This is hugely important for kids too. Toothache is no fun at all! Not to mention having to stay indoors with a child in pain with no ability to distract them. I would urge all of us to try to stick to our usual routine or use this time to develop a healthier routine. The key message for avoiding cavities is to avoid sugary snacking.

Writing a food diary/meal planner will help you to monitor your supplies and plan when to have treat days! It also means that when you do have to leave your house to visit the supermarket that you can buy for your plan and therefore won’t need to shop as frequently.  I am trying to buy veg that might last little longer or chop it up and freeze it so it doesn’t go to waste and you can add it to a stir fry for example on another day.

This could mean that you plan to bake a cake together or a special pudding and will look forward to it.  This causes less damage to teeth when eaten immediately after your lunch or dinner.  I try to bake using fruit in order to add sweetness and this encourages my kids going forwards to consider all options and not just dive in for the chocolate option (like me!!)  Apple pies and crumbles are delicious and easy to make and apples are easy enough to source.

Therefore key points would be

  • make a meal planner and get the whole family involved
  • try and let the kids help with the preparation/cooking as they will appreciate the food more (although you may not!) and the fact that they cooked it
  • remember to include drinks in your meal planner so they can be controlled
  • avoid sticky sweets/toffees that may break a tooth or loosen a filling that could lead to dental pain.

 

As always, the team is on hand to offer telephone advice, please call us on 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach) or 01443 451851 (Nelson) for free diet and oral hygiene advice.

 

Staying Safe and Well During Covid-19 Restrictions

As we are moved into a new, restricted world we’ve never experienced before it’s natural to feel anxious. But the drastic restrictions imposed are a really positive step towards things starting to get better.

We truly believe that routine and keeping busy are vital to the weeks ahead at home, and have complied our ideas to help. Getting up at the same time, and getting ready to start your day as you normally would helps bring structure to your week.

Jobs to do

Now is the perfect opportunity to complete all those tasks that you’ve been meaning to do for ages, for example:

  • Organise all your photos – lots of us have thousands of photos on phones and devices – now is the perfect opportunity to organise them into albums and ensure they are all backed up
  • Deep clean the kitchen – sort out all those old tins at the back of the cupboard, and bring them to the front before they go out of date

Visit the library – virtually!

Rach has been using BorrowBox to help keep the kids entertained – with Borrow Box you can borrow a book online using your Caerphilly Council Smartcard number.

Learn something new 

a host of online classes are available, our favourites are:

Travel from the comfort of your armchair

Go to Spain with  Armchair Travel

Stay in touch with friends and family 

Whatsapp and Facebook messenger have a video call function, simply start a group to begin chatting. There are various apps available for conferencing which is great for use to talk to friends and family – Clare likes ‘Zoom’.

Gardening 

Louise’s top tip is gardening – signs of spring and new life are really uplifting, plus some reports say sunlight helps immobilise the virus. Growing your own food is an amazing feeling and a really healthy thing to do, plus this will save you money in the long run and hopefully even take some of the stress out of some of the food shopping ahead!

Social Media 

Too much time on social media is not a good idea, its great for staying in touch with people and can help alleviate feelings of isolation, but it’s a good idea to limit the daily time spent. Has your dog got a special talent or a funny skill? Start an Instagram for your pet!

Meditating

Various apps are available which guide you through meditating right from day 1, making it so easy if you’ve never done it before. We tried ‘Headspace’ – (just be careful of charges after free trials end!)

Exercising 

Check YouTube for gentle yoga exercises, or you’ve probably heard of Joe Wicks – 9am every day – this will help you get into that routine!

 

Above all, stay safe, and stay indoors. Please reach out if you’re feeling overwhelmed, out team are just a phone call away, and are always available for a chat so please let others help wherever they can.

From us all at The Grove

 

 

 

 

Coronavirus Update – 23/03/2020

Our team continue to work tirelessly to keep the practice a safe and clean environment for you. As a Dental Practice, we work in an environment where the prevention of the spread of a whole range of infections is woven into everything we do. In addition to our usual scrupulous cross infection control measures, we have been paying particularly close attention to all government guidance and updates related more specifically to Coronavirus. Given the unprecedented situation in the UK regarding the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, we have introduced new measures in the best interests of our patients and staff. Looking after the health of our patients is our absolute priority and so we will be operating an emergency service for our patients who have urgent pain, swelling or bleeding. If you urgently need assistance, please us on 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach) or 01443 451851 (Nelson). Routine and non urgent appointments are being postponed. If you require an urgent dental appointment and are displaying symptoms of Coronavirus, or you live with others and one of them have symptoms, call 01633 744387. Stay at home if you have either:

  • a high temperature
  • a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
  • if you have been in contact with any person suspected or confirmed as having coronavirus, or
  • if you have recently returned from a category 1 or 2 country

For over 70s, and those with pre existing medical conditions which place them into the ‘vulnerable’ category we are unable to provide appointments at present. If this applies to you and you have a dental emergency, please call 111 for advice. If you are unsure whether you fall into a vulnerable category please call us for advice.

  • We’re sad to say we have had to lock our doors and allow access to the practice strictly by urgent appointment only, pre arranged by telephone 
  • Please observe the 2m distancing rule
  • All patients will be asked to use hand sanitiser on arrival – we will provide this 
  • Please bring your own pen to complete forms
  • Please pay by card, contactlessly where possible   
  • Patients are asked not to bring chaperones to reduce unnecessary numbers of people in the practice (if bringing children or disabled patients please limit to one chaperone) 

As a team, we are doing everything we possibly can to remain fit, well and able to work so that we can continue our usual high standard of dental care for you.   

Thank you for your support, and stay safe

Important Coronavirus Update

The health of our patients and team are important to us, and we always maintain strict and rigorous hygiene and cross infection measures, however we have had to make changes to the way we work in order to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus. The following measures have been put in place:

Stay at home if you have either:

  • a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
  • a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
  • if you have been in contact with any person suspected or confirmed as having coronavirus, or
  • if you have recently returned from a category 1 or 2 county

For over 70s, and those with pre existing medical conditions which place them into the ‘vulnerable’ category we are unable to provide appointments at present. This applies if you are pregnant, or have a weakened immune system. If this applies to you and you have a dental emergency, please call 111 for advice. If you are unsure whether you fall into a vulnerable category please call us for advice. Similarly please call us if you just fancy a chat – please don’t feel isolated or alone

  • All patients will be asked to use hand sanitiser on arrival – we will provide this
  • Please bring your own pen to complete forms
  • Card payments are preferable to cash
  • You will be directed to a seat by a member of the team to help maintain safe distances
  • Patients are not to bring chaperones to reduce unnecessary quantities of people in the practice (if bringing children or assisting with disabled patients limit to one chaperone)
  • Please telephone the practice on 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach) or 01443 451851 (Nelson) and refrain for calling in to arrange or cancel appointments.

 

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding at this time. This page will be updated as we receive new information.

We can help you budget for your dental treatment

We can help you to budget for your dental treatment!

We pride ourselves on transparent treatment costs, providing written treatment estimates detailing prices, but did you know there is another way to actually spread the cost of your treatment? Here at The Grove we understand that the cost of treatment impacts on decisions you make about your dental care.

 The Grove Dental Preventive Plan

Research has shown that regular attendance minimises the need for future treatment, and early identification of dental problems help prevent pain, discomfort and inconvenience. With this in mind we have designed our Preventive Plan.

For as little as £8.72  per month, payable by convenient direct debit, you can manage the cost of your preventative dental treatment which includes dental examinations,  hygienist visits and X-rays.  Preventative Plan patients also get an additional 10% discount on treatment fees outside of the plan.

Whilst a member of the Preventative plan, should you suffer dental trauma, a dental emergency, or be diagnosed with oral cancer you will be eligible to make a request for assistance from the Worldwide Dental Emergency Assistance Scheme.  You will have access to a 24 hour, 365 day a year worldwide dental emergency helpline. (see practice leaflet for full details)

If you ever have a dental emergency you will also have access to priority booking, with guaranteed registration with the practice.

 

Private Charge

Preventative Plan 1:

£8.72 per month

Preventative Plan 2:

£14.07 per month

Routine Examinations

£45

One

Two

Hygiene appointment

£55 One

Two

Routine x rays

Included

Included

Included

10% Discount on treatment

Not available Included

Included

Diet advice / Routine Oral Cancer screening

Included

Included

Included

24 hour Emergency Helpline

Not available

Included

Included

Eligibility to request assistance from the Worldwide Dental Emergency Assistance Scheme

Not available Included

Included

Joining is simple! There is no assessment necessary, simply contact us to arrange your cover.

The Grove Dental Care Plan

If you are looking for something more comprehensive our Full Care plan would be most suitable.  Starting at £13.44 per month, payable by convenient direct debit the Full Care plan includes the cost of all routine dental treatment.  In addition to you basic examinations and hygienist appointments you the Full Care plan also includes the cost of: all fillings, all crown and bridge work, and root canal treatment.

Whilst a member of the Preventative plan, should you suffer dental trauma, a dental emergency, or be diagnosed with oral cancer you will be eligible to make a request for assistance from the Worldwide Dental Emergency Assistance Scheme.  You will have access to a 24 hour, 365 day a year worldwide dental emergency helpline. (see practice leaflet for full details)

If you ever have a dental emergency you will also have access to priority booking, with guaranteed registration with the practice.

 

 

Private Charge

Care Plan

All Routine examinations

£45

Included

All Hygiene Appointments

£55

Included

All x rays

Included

Included

All Fillings

From £45 – £130

Included

All Crown and Bridge work (excluding laboratory fees)

From £350

Included

Root Canal Treatment

From £180

Included

Routine Extractions

From £45

Included

Diet advice/ Oral Cancer screening

Included

Included

24 hour Emergency Helpline

Not available

Included

Eligibility to request assistance from the Worldwide Dental Emergency Assistance Scheme

Not available

Included

     

 

How do I join the Care Plan? We carry out an assessment to ensure the level of cover provided will meet your needs. Monthly payment costs can vary slightly depending on your dental history and gum health.

An initial registration fee of £10.00 per person is payable by you to DPAS, the plan provider and will be added to the initial direct debit.

Cosmetic treatment, laboratory fees, implants, orthodontics and specialist referrals are excluded from our plans.

For more information on our monthly payment options, or if you would like to join our membership plan please give us a call on 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach) or 01443 451851 (Nelson) and a member of our friendly team will be on hand to help.

Top tips for tackling snoring

Sharing a bed with a snorer can be irritating and exhausting, and if YOU snore you may frequently find your sleep disturbed by a swift kick or a sharp prod. Approximately 40% of us snore to some degree, which can equate to a lot of lost sleep! Snoring occurs when the soft palate towards the back of the mouth vibrates when we inhale, causing that characteristic rattling noise. The bad news is that there is no miracle cure for snoring, but there some relatively easy things which you can do to help, most of which involve keeping the airway nice and clear:

Avoid alcohol – alcohol loosens muscles near the airway, making snoring worse. Tips on cutting down can be found here

Cut down on smoking – or even better quit altogether. Smoking causes lung and airway congestion which we know is a major factor. We offer support and advice on giving up smoking, our hygienist Clare is a smoking cessation specialist.

Maintain a healthy weight – as little as 2 -4kg can make a difference

Avoid sleeping on your back – as this makes the airway smaller. Some people have even gone as far as sewing a tennis ball into the back of their pyjamas, so that they are uncomfortable on their backs and roll back onto the side

Pillows – we all love a nice soft fluffy pillow but these can also make snoring worse. People have reported that sleeping without a pillow can help.

Allergies – if you suffer with allergies hypo-allergenic bedding may help, as can regularly washing bedding in hot water, and eliminating pets from your bedroom. Your GP or pharmacist can provide advice on antihistamine medication.

 

Until next time, Goodnight and Sweet Dreams!

If snoring is persistent or causing serious problems, your GP can offer advice and eliminate medical conditions which may be the cause. 

 

Overcome your dental fears

A survey by the British Dental Association has revealed that 25% of people suffer from anxiety before visiting the dentist, and for many more people their anxiety is so severe that they stop visiting the dentist altogether, having a disastrous effect on their oral health, leading to unnecessary pain, mouth infection and even loss of teeth.

Our philosophy is based on prevention – in an ideal world no one would need treatment, so we encourage regular attendance which is proven to minimise the need for future treatment. Our friendly team of dental care professionals have a wealth of experience in treating nervous patients, making your visits as comfortable as possible in our newly modernised treatment rooms. There are many ways we can help you feel more relaxed about your visits:

  • early morning appointments (as early as 8.00am) means you will not have all day to dwell on it
  • call into the practice and meet the team – if you phone ahead it may be possible to arrange for you to view one of our treatment rooms
  • agree a sign before starting treatment, for example a raised hand will indicate to the dentist that you need a little break. this puts you firmly in control
  • bring a friend along for morale support

Common reasons people tend to avoid visiting the dentist: (and our solutions!)

‘They will be shocked at the state of my mouth!’ –  Having committed to make an appointment with us means that you are looking to improve your oral health. We see a wide range of patients, with a variety of dental issues. Improving your health and cosmetics is our primary concern.

‘Dental treatment is painful – I’ve had a previous unpleasant experience’ – Modern dentistry had evolved (and continues to), allowing us to use the latest techniques and materials to provide the most comfortable experience possible.

‘But I’m not having any problems’ – Prevention is better than cure!  We are able to detect issues before they arise, for example we use the latest techniques to detect early decay in between teeth, and our hygienist will work with you to reverse early gum disease.

‘I’ve heard dental treatment can be expensive’ – The vast majority of patients are surprised by how manageable their treatment can be after not attending for a long period. We provide all patients with a detailed treatment plan, explaining all treatment and costs at the start. Once your confidence has built up you may consider becoming a regular patient at the practice and benefit from our preventive advice and appointments: our range of monthly payment plans mean there is an option for everybody. Also you will receive 10% off your treatment fees if you join one of our preventive payment plans, please ask a member of the team for further details.

If you have any other concerns regarding visiting the practice or any specific treatment, please call the practice on 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach) 0r 01443 451851 (Nelson) and chat to a member of the team. 

 

Dentistry and Dementia

It is estimated that there are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, and 38% of the population know a family member or close friend with dementia https://www.dementiastatistics.org/statistics/numbers-of-people-in-the-uk/

In 2016 we undertook our initial dementia friends training and have since developed this to become a dementia friendly practice. This involves demonstrating our commitment to welcoming and supporting patients affected by dementia along with their families and carers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We provide:

  • A calm, safe and stress-free environment – we are a Dementia Friendly practice with a highly skilled and experienced team
  • Preventive advice and treatment provided in a dignified and respectful way, patient centred around individual needs
  • We recognise families and carers play a critical role in ensuring patients are valued and understood
  • We work closely with families and carers to ensure dignity, respect and consent and understanding for treatment
  • Referrals for home visits if appropriate
  • Even lighting and non-reflective flooring
  • Open plan rooms
  • Handrails and accessible facilities
  • Dedicated dementia champion
  • Longer appointments available
  • Appointment reminder system
  • Twiddle muffs provided, which are used successfully to distract and comfort:Ways carers can help:
    • A smaller toothbrush may be easier to use, for example a child’s brush
    • High fluoride toothpaste to help protect the teeth (1450ppm minimum)
    • If gum disease is present use of a chlorhexidine mouth rinse (for example Corsodyl) can help inflammation
    • Interdental cleaning where possible
    • Gentle, circular movements, brushing gums as well as teeth – bleeding gums mean more brushing is required so if this continues make an appointment
    • Spit don’t rinse to maximise the benefit of fluoride left on the teeth
    • Brush dentures 2 x daily and keep an eye on the fit to make sure these are not becoming loose and look for areas of redness or soreness in the mouth – if any problems arrange an appointment

    Practicing good basic principles is essential since dementia is progressive, so establishing a solid dental care plan and routine as soon as possible is important.  Broken and decayed teeth, gum disease and loose teeth can cause pain and discomfort which in turn can increase stress levels. In addition, difficulties eating, sleeping and communicating can all add to confusion and distress. Regular attendance is vital to prevent issues arising, or at the first sign of problems to address. Look out for signs of discomfort such as grimacing, holding the face or bleeding gums signs that there is a problem, and help maintain their dignity and self-esteem.

Proud to be a Dementia Friendly practice

For free information on helping care for someone’s dental health please call us on 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach) or 01443 451851 (Nelson) 

Is it time to stop vaping? The facts you need to know

The safety of electronic cigarettes has been much debated, with recent unexplained cases of lung disease in the US and 12 deaths which have been linked to vaping. More recently a serious case of life threatening respiratory failure has been reported in the UK, with e cigarettes associated with lung diseases such as pneumonia.

E cigarettes, or vaping devices, involve heating a liquid and inhaling the vapour. The composition of these liquids can vary between manufacturers, but generally contain a mixture of water, flavourings, propylene glycol or vegetable glycerine. Worryingly, child friendly flavours have resulted in young people taking up vaping having never smoked before.

While some health organisations have recommended the use of electronic cigarettes as a means of stopping smoking, it is not intended as a long term substitute, and it is never recommended to start vaping having never previously smoked. These organizations may claim that vaping is safer than smoking, however there is no evidence to back up this claim due to a lack of research into their safety, and there is yet to be any long term history of e cigarette use  – up until the 1950s doctors actually recommended smoking, it wasn’t until 1964 that the dangers of smoking cigarettes were reported and evidenced and we became aware of the danger of smoking after more than 40 years’ history.

The facts

  • E cigarettes are not medically licenced, which means they are not available on prescription, despite other smoking cessation aids being available for doctors to prescribe
  • Although free from carbon monoxide and tar, vaping liquid contains various other chemicals such as diacetyl and THC, compounds which are linked to lung disease
  • Nicotine in vape liquid directly contributes to gum disease by reducing the flow of blood to the gums
  • India, Brazil, Singapore and Thailand have already banned e cigarettes amid fears for public safety
  • Although rare, there have been incidents of e cigarettes exploding causing injury, experts have been unable to pinpoint the cause of this happening
  • According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention use of e cigarettes is probably responsible for 26 deaths and 1299 cases lung disease in the US: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html    
  • There has been an alarming increase in vaping among teenagers who have never previously smoked before

 

Summary

While some organisations claim vaping is safer than smoking, they admit it is not risk free. The reality is there is no study or evidence to prove this, however the World Health Organisation has described them as ‘Undoubtedly harmful’. The dangerous effects of cigarette smoking were not known for decades, and the manufacture and sale of e cigarettes is very new by comparison. Our advice in the meantime, is that the only application for e cigarettes is a short-term aid to stopping smoking, we would not recommend or condone their regular or long term use.

Free help, support and advice on stopping smoking or using electronic cigarettes is available the practice, please call us on 01443 451851 (Nelson) or 01443 812559 (Ystrad Mynach)