This was the story that we were listening to on the radio as we drove to work this morning. It's being covered by the BBC on their news bulletins and their website. Read more here. However the research carried out so far has only extended to rats and mice and has produced a partial layer of dentin or dentine as we call it in the UK on a damaged tooth. To replace traditional root canal therapy there will be a need to regenerate or reproduce enamel too and my understanding of the report is that we are a way off  both human trials and the regeneration of enamel.

Now, as dental practice owners our ears always prick up when dentistry is mentioned in the media. We don't want to sound curmudgeonly but there seem to be few positive or enthusiastic pictures painted of the dental world. In this instance the phrase that really pushed our buttons was 'the dreadful and painful procedure involving the removal of a tooth's nerve and blood vessels'.

Our clients' experience of root canal therapy or endodontic treatment at Illume is very different from the one described above. Tim Rumney did point out during the bulletin that another way to avoid this treatment - painless or not -  was the use of a toothbrush and a good oral hygiene routine!

If you'd like to experience great customer care and painless dentistry, give us a call on 01242 522230 or email [email protected] to book an appointment, join the Illume tribe and see why we have so many satisfied customers.

Every twelve months or so we carry out a questionnaire to enable our clients to tell us what they think of our treatments and our customer service. We ask them to be honest in their feedback and tell us the good and the bad, (hopefully not the ugly!) During May we asked 120 clients what they think about the team, the treatments we provide, their experience when visiting us, the environment we welcome them into and lots of other questions too. As usual we are delighted with their responses and as ever encourage them to spread the word throughout Cheltenham and surrounding areas!

97% of our clients said they would recommend us to friends and family. We know that many new clients come to see us following a personal referral and so we're delighted to see that figure.We reward our referrers by entering them into a prize draw to win dinner for two on us. It's a small way of saying thank you and the clients that have so far dined at The Greenway Hotel and Spa have had a great time.

So, what are our clients saying about Illume? 84% rated their overall visit as excellent and 16% rated the visit good. Not a single client thought it disappointing.We are also really pleased that 93% of those surveyed use the services of our three hygienists. Regular visits for hygiene treatments and advice on how to best manage a home care routine mean we are supporting you in maintaining a healthy mouth.Click here. Among the benefits of seeing our hygienists that our clients listed are:

• Healthy teeth and gums
• Advice on products
• They help me keep my teeth longer
• They keep my gum disease under control
• I have a happier mouth and I'm inspired to work on it

That's all great for us to read about as are the reasons our clients gave for coming to see us and what they said they will tell others about us. These include:

• You get service with a smile
• I trust the dentists
• I'm put at ease here
• It's very up to date
• It's relaxing
• I'm treated as an individual
• Excellent service for over 40 years
• Illume was the most informative and friendly when I was looking around
• You're honest about options and costs
• You take time to understand
• Each visit is friendly and welcoming
• I appreciate Adrian's mild manner and care
• Information is given throughout the consultation
• Tim always explains things so I can understand

I could go on, but you get the picture. We were also told THIS IS THE BEST DENTAL PRACTICE I'VE EVER BEEN TO and YOU ARE 5*, so to all our clients a VERY BIG THANK YOU FROM US AND PLEASE KEEP SPREADING THE WORD.

If you're reading this and wondering what all the fuss is about please call us on 01242 522230 or email [email protected] to book a New Client Consultation. Not all dentists are the same.Would you like to find out more?

Illume is delighted to confirm its support for 2014’s National Smile Month, due to commence on Sunday 18th May.

Organised by the British Dental Health Foundation, National Smile Month is the UK’s largest and longest-running oral health campaign that aims to raise awareness of the importance of developing and maintaining a healthy mouth.

This year Illume will be supporting National Smile Month by reminding all clients about the importance of good oral health and hygiene through a series of blog posts, emails and social media updates.

Illume’s Practice Owner, Tim Rumney comments, “National Smile Month is an excellent campaign that provides us with the opportunity to remind  clients about the importance of regular visits to the dentist to treat dental disease and help clients achieve attractive, healthy smiles.”

At Illume, good oral health and client care is of the utmost importance - all clients are offered a thorough 14 point healthy mouth review as standard, which includes a specific analysis of oral hygiene, gum health and tooth wear. 

Tim continues, “At Illume we have never believed in quick cursory ‘check-ups’ – instead we offer an extensive examination that provides us with the opportunity to fully assess the health of the whole mouth, listen to any client concerns, wants and needs  and bring to light any problem areas that require treatment.”

To kick off National Smile Month with a bang Tim has documented his top three tips for maintaining good oral health, listed below.

If you require any further information about oral health or Illume’s Healthy Mouth Review service please contact the practice on 01242 522230 –  otherwise please look out for all Illume updates over the coming month via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Tim’s Top Tips

Tip #1 – Choose a Fluoride toothpaste: According to stats from National Smile Month, 1 in 5 people believe fluoride to be a marketing gimmick. However Fluoride is essential for preventing tooth decay by encouraging better quality enamel to form, increasing resistance to acid attack. For full effect, ensure you brush your teeth for two minutes twice per day.

Tip#2 Clean between your teeth every day: Clients know they should floss but sometimes find this difficult. We have a wide selection of interdental brushes and sticks which many clients find less complicated to use. Our hygienists demonstrate easier and more effective ways of cleaning food and plaque from between teeth. This should be an essential part of everyone’s daily routine. And remember if your gums bleed when you brush and floss this is a sign of gum disease and your daily cleaning regime should be improved. Our hygienists will explain and show you how.

Tip#3 – Avoid high sugar intake: Drinks and snacks high in sugar are the leading culprits for tooth decay in both children and adults. Many foods that seem healthy can actually have a high sugar content, yoghurt being the prime example. Make sure you check labels to reduce your sugar intake where possible.