Many Kiwis avoid the dentist because of a fear of feeling pain or discomfort.

According to UK research around 25% of men and women declared that they put off the recommended two dental health examinations a year out of fear of pain.

Poor dental health risks

Poor dental health is linked to heart disease, bacterial lung infections, premature births, diabetes and strokes, meaning regular visits for dental health reviews are vital to maintaining good general health and dental well-being.

We know that it has been difficult to keep on top of regular dental visits over the past year due to COVID's affect on our livelihoods. Smilecare Dental Studio Ltd is delighted to have reopened and we have heavily invested in anti-virus protection, on top of our usual strict decontamination measures to help put your mind at rest.

Looking after anxious patients

Please don’t neglect your dental well-being because of dental phobia. Your comfort is very important to us. At Smilecare Dental Studio Ltd we find that even with the most nervous of patients, all they need is time and kindness. Therefore, our principal dentist Dr Asi Cohen ensures our appointments are calm, unhurried and welcoming. 

We understand that many people are nervous about dental treatment and even more are scared of injections.
If this sounds like you then we can use 'happy gas' (nitrous oxide sedation) inhaled through a nose mask to safely help you relax while carrying out your dental work. You won't need to fast, will have no residual effects, and are able to drive away at the end of the session. It even helps gaggers.

If you are anxious about your dental or hygiene appointments, try contacting us first for a chat.

We encourage dentally phobic patients to pop in, meet our team and have a look around our Whangarei dental practice before going anywhere near a dental chair. But don’t just take our word for it, here are some testimonials from our patients last year posted on Google reviews:

"I had a real fear of the dentist and Dr Cohen talked to me for quite some time and explained everything in full. He is very gentle and uses numbing gel before injecting. I dont know why I put it off for so long. His nurses Vania and Maisie are amazing too and Shontelle at the front desk puts you at ease the minute you walk in. I have been back several times and have also had a tooth extraction with no problems post extraction. I highly recommend this team of professionals."

"Amazing service, very friendly staff. I normally dread going to the dentist from having past bad experiences, but this is by far the best dental experience I have had. They really took their time explaining everything and making sure I was comfortable. Love the fact that you can watch movies, and have headphones on to distract from the drilling etc. Competitive prices. Would highly recommend."

"I have been traumatised by dentists in the past, but I trust Dr Cohan completely. Dr Cohan is the best dentist I have ever had. He clearly explains what he is doing and why. He will weigh up costs and benefits so making a decision becomes much easier. He gave me a root canal while I watched a movie and I did not tense up even once. My comfort and mental state were cared for. Hygiene is paramount. I have no hesitation in recommending Smile Care Dental Studio and I always do to my friends and colleagues."

The door to our Whangarei dental practice is always open to new patients, so please feel free to contact us now for more information. We look forward to meeting you soon.

Your smile is a reflection of you. What is it secretly saying?
Is it conveying the wrong personality or message without you even knowing it?
What do others see when you smile?

According to researchers the way your teeth are shaped conveys what kind of personality you have.
There are four personality types associated with the shape of our teeth: Triangular, Rectangular, Oval, or Square.
Square teeth give the impression of a person in control, relatively unemotional and objective. Oval teeth emote introversion and reflection, but artistic. Rectangular teeth convey strength. Triangular teeth reflect a Dynamic style.

Most of us have a combination of these shapes, and therefore convey many different personalities or temperaments. Public figures and actors change their smiles to reflect the personalities they want to project. That is why cosmetic dentistry is so popular in the USA and Europe.

A good cosmetic dentist can shape your smile into something that fits your personality and goals.
Modern techniques such as our Digital Smile Design software helps patients see what their new smiles will look like to a high level of accuracy. Unlike traditional restorative treatments that focus on the teeth, gums and jaw, our Digital Smile Design system also considers the relationship between the mouth and other parts of the face involved in smiling, such as the cheeks, eyes and lips. It also visualises a wide range of facial expressions, to show you how your smile will look when talking, laughing and in other emotional states, helping you to design a smile that matches your personality.

The team at Smilecare Dental Studio Ltd are experts at creating beautiful smiles. We have years of experience and satisfied customers. We can give you the smile you have always wanted. Contact us on 094388181 or email info@smilecaredental.co.nz for more information on how we can transform your smile.

You’ve asked and now here they are! Virtual Consultations!
We are so excited to announce this fantastic new service at Smilecare Dental Studio!  We will now be offering virtual dental & facial aesthetic consultations for long distance clients or clients that just simply can’t make it in to see us.


What is a virtual consultation?
It’s a great new service that will allow us to learn a little more about your dental or facial aesthetic challenges and concerns, and allows us to begin creating a customised plan to address your specific problems or concerns.  This will all take place virtually, over Virtuaden, phone, or Face-time, at a time that is convenient for you; with the added convenience of never having to leave the comfort of your own home! 



Book Your FREE Virtual Consultation Now
You will get to speak with one of our team face to face via the virtual platform that works best for you. Once your virtual consult is booked you will receive an email with an online consultation form, so that we can get a better understanding of how we can help. And the best part about all of this is that no matter how far away you are, or how busy you get, we are only a click or call away!

Show us your best Selfie today and book your FREE Virtual Consultation by visiting the following link at Smilecare Dental Studio!

Keeping your teeth in good condition is an essential part of your overall health. If you make regular visits to the dentist in Whangarei, you’ll give your teeth the professional care they need. At Smilecare Dental Studio, we have a wealth of experience in the prevention and treatment of oral health difficulties. We take the time to get to know you as a patient, so that your tailored care can be delivered with sensitivity and efficiency.

A range of treatments
Our services encompass the full range of dental care, from cosmetic enhancements to tooth replacements, and from preventive techniques to meticulous repairs. We routinely offer mouth cancer screenings, so we can spot any worrying developments in their earliest stages.

Many of our patients go to the dentist in Whangarei twice a year, to have the condition of their teeth and gums thoroughly assessed. We offer advice, based on the latest research, on how best to keep the teeth clean, and the mouth free from bacteria and food debris. Any necessary repairs are made with the latest durable materials.

Looking to the future
Modern cosmetic dental techniques are a big part of the services we offer as a dentist in Whangarei. Teeth whitening is a popular choice. Our patients choose this when they notice their teeth have turned a funny colour. This often happens very slowly, as food and drink leave behind residues on the tooth’s enamel surfaces that build up into unsightly stains. The whitening process will give you a brilliant smile you’ll be proud to show off.

A chipped tooth is a small development that can have a big impact on your appearance. If you have a veneer or crown fitted by our dentist in Whangarei, you’ll regain the natural elegance of your smile with the improved strength offered by a ceramic restoration. If you have missing teeth we can use dental implants, bridges or dentures to replace them, so you’ll regain not only the appearance but the function of your natural teeth as well. With dental implants or bridge work you can enjoy biting into and chewing your foods as you used to do, without worrying the new teeth will fall out onto the dinner table.
We’re able to offer late evening appointments, so you can visit our dentist in Whangarei when it’s convenient for you.

Let's get right to the point. During pregnancy, the mouth matters. Making small yet important steps will keep pregnant women's teeth and gums healthy. Why does oral health matter during pregnany? Because research shows that a woman's oral health during pregnancy is a good indication of her newborn's risk for tooth decay. And mothers can (unintentionally) share the bacteria that play the primary role in causing tooth decay.

While 4 out of 10 pregnant women have tooth decay or gum disease, many aren't getting dental care. They may not realize that getting dental services during pregnancy is both safe and important. Or they may not know the acidity level in the mouth rises during pregnancy, putting them at greater risk for tooth decay. In addition, hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause gums to swell and bleed more easily than usual.

Besides its connection to an infant's teeth and mouth, poor oral health for a pregnant woman may be linked to birth complications, such as preeclampsia, pre-term births and low birth-weight infants.

So here are 4 Ways Pregnant Women Can Give Their Newborns a Healthy Start:

1. Make and keep your regular dental appointment. Getting a dental exam will help pregnant women identify any oral health problems they might have and, if necessary, get appropriate treatment or guidance.
   
   
2. Brush at least twice daily with toothpaste. It's especially important to brush your teeth right before you go to bed. Why? The saliva in your mouth helps to combat the decay process. But your mouth produces less saliva at night, leaving your teeth more vulnerable to cavity-causing bacteria.
   
   
3. Drink water every day.  Avoid or limit sodas, "energy drinks" and other sugary beverages.
   
   
4. Talk to your dentist about ways to prevent or manage any dental problems. Tooth decay is preventable. Even when the decay process has begun, there are ways to prevent it from progressing to the point of forming a cavity. A dentist can answer your questions.
   
   

Having vibrantly white teeth is essential for a perfect smile and no matter what smile you parade, it always looks better whiter. People go to great effort taking care of their teeth. They brush, floss and have regular dental check ups. Often people fail to realize that the food that we eat can be the cause of discoloured teeth. Most people understand the regular culprits such as coffee and tea tannins or acidic soft-drinks, but don’t look at the food they eat as causes for their less than lustrous fangs. Here we look at some of the common foods that lead to stained teeth.

1. Citrus & Vinegar
Lemons, mandarins and oranges have many health benefits. They are rich with vitamins and antioxidants, are a good source of fibre and have cancer fighting properties.  A squeeze of lemon in water is an ancient remedy to support digestion and there is nothing that quenches thirst quite as well as a juicy orange on a hot day. But these citrus fruits which have been heralded as the ultimate healthy fruit are disastrous for tooth enamel. Cider vinegar lowers blood sugar and has antibacterial and antifungal properties.  The acid content of citrus foods & vinegars erodes the top enamel layer of the teeth exposing the yellow coloured dentin below the surface. If you’re looking to improve your smile’s shine we’re not saying give up your citrus fruits and cider vinegar for good, but if whiter teeth is the goal, reducing the amount you consume and buffering the acidity with water could be key.

2. Wine
As it turns out, sipping on a Chardonnay can also steal some of the white away from your smile. New York University researchers suggests that the lighter type of vino may make tooth stains darker. So while it doesn't actually cause the stains, its acid content creates little pockets on the surface of the tooth that allow other beverages to seep in deeper, the study's researchers explain. Still, red wine continues to beat out white wine when it comes to tooth staining thanks to the highly-pigmented substance known as Chromogen. So wine lovers the best way to prevent wine stained teeth is to use a toothpaste that contains a whitening agent. Alternatively, add some cheese to raise pH levels and slash the risk of cavities for good measure.

3. Curry
It stains your cookware and your countertops, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that it stains your teeth too. The property in curry that causes the stain is called a yellow molecule called curcumin which is found in turmeric. Turmeric has such powerful staining properties that it is often used to dye fabric as it bonds well to cotton and other fibers. These same binding properties are the reason why your smile will probably exhibit a yellow tinge after downing a plate of Tikka Masala. If you don’t want to avoid eating curry all together make sure to brush your teeth immediately after eating to scrub away any of that excess yellow and prevent staining.

4. Blueberries, Blackberries & Pomegranates
Blueberries are a super food associated with fighting off heart disease, lowering cholesterol and boosting the immune system. These anti-oxidant packed little berries have been named as one of the world’s healthiest foods. Blackberries, along with blueberries and pomegranates, although miraculous for health are one of the biggest stain producing foods on the planet. These richly pigmented berries cast a dark shade on tooth enamel dimming the light of your pearly whites. A good rule of thumb is if a food casts hard-to-remove stains on your clothes it will likely do the same thing to your teeth. Those seeking a naturally white smile may want to limit their intake of dark berries, and go strawberries and high-fibre fruits like apples and pears instead.

5. Sugar
Sugar is a well recognized culprit of teeth staining and unlike the foods above, has no real health benefits to garnish. Bacteria loves the sugar that latches onto your teeth after enjoying a cookie, chocolate bar or cake and this is where the problem starts. The bacteria on your teeth begins producing an acid that dissolves the tooth enamel and leads to dental decay. We all know what happens after this. Darkened teeth, cavities, bad breath and periodontal disease or gingivitis. To keep the mouth flora healthy, the teeth white and the breath smelling optimal, avoid sugar all together. Not only is sugar bad for the teeth it also causes heart disease, obesity and cancer.
 
If your teeth are losing their lustre don’t fret. The discolouration of teeth is a normal part of life as we get older and expose our teeth to different foods and drinks, not to mention antibiotic staining, excess fluoride exposure, nerve degeneration and more. Luckily there are treatments that can dramatically return your teeth back to their natural shiny white state. At Smile Care Dental Studio we offer state-of-the-art teeth whitening solutions which reverse the discolouration of enamel. We have found effective ways to whiten teeth, providing beautiful and lasting results for our patients. If you desire a whiter more vibrant smile, contact Smile Care Dental Studio today, we can help!

Everyone wants to have a great smile which is why good oral hygiene is important! Having poor oral hygiene can lead to a variety of dental and medical problems in the future such as gum disease, infection, bone loss, heart disease, strokes and more. Regular check ups and cleanings can prevent these problems as well as provide you with good oral hygiene.

Here is a list of 10 Dental hygiene steps you can take to promote great oral hygiene.

1. Proper Brushing
One of the easiest steps to do to help your teeth keep clean. When brushing your teeth, position the bristles at an angle of 45 degrees near the gum line. Both the gum line and the tooth surface should be in contact with the bristles. Brush the outer surfaces of the teeth using a back-and-forth, up-and-down motion, making sure to be done gently in order to avoid bleeding. To clean the inside surfaces of the teeth and gums, place the bristles at a 45-degree angle again and repeat the back-and-forth, up-and-down motion. Lastly, brush the surfaces of your tongue and the roof of your mouth to remove bacteria, which might cause bad breath.
Try to brush at least twice a day to prevent acid buildup from the breakdown of food by bacteria. However, if your work or activities prevent you from doing this, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water after eating to minimize the amount of food that would serve as substrate for the bacteria.

2. Flossing!
We know, it’s a chore and alot of times forgetful after brushing if rushing out the door or heading to bed. However, flossing can help you remove food particles and other detrimental substances that brushing regularly cannot. Flossing allows you to reach deep between your teeth where the toothbrush bristles cannot reach or even mouthwash cannot wash away. We recommend flossing at least once a day.

3. Avoid Tobacco
This will be a big favor to your teeth. One, it will save you from oral cancer and periodontal complications. Two, it will save you from the countless ill effects caused by the agents used to mask the smell of tobacco. For example, if you smoke a cigarette, you may use candies, tea or coffee to mask the smoky breath and odor. This doubles the amount of damage caused.

4. Limit Sodas, Coffee and Alcohol
Although these beverages contain a high level of phosphorous, which is a necessary mineral for a healthy mouth, too much phosphorous can deplete the body’s level of calcium. This causes dental hygiene problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Beverages containing additives such as corn syrup and food dye can make pearly white teeth appear dull and discoloured. Therefore, it is best to choose beverages like milk, which helps strengthen teeth and build stronger enamel, giving you a healthy, beautiful smile and water which hydrates your body longer than sugary drinks.

5. Consume Calcium and other Vitamins that are good for the body
You need plenty of calcium for your teeth. It is essential for the teeth as well as your bones. It is better to drink milk, fortified orange juice and to eat yogurt, broccoli, cheese, and other dairy products. You can also take a calcium supplement, taking different doses according to your age and necessity as per prescription. Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary for maintaining the health of gums and teeth. Vitamin B complex is also essential for the protection of gums and teeth from cracking and bleeding. Copper, zinc, iodine, iron and potassium are also required for maintaining healthy dental hygiene.

6. Visit Your Dentist
You should visit your dentist at least twice a year to have a full hygiene treatment performed. Also at these appointments, a comprehensive exam is taken with x-rays to help detect and prevent future dental treatments from occurring.

7. Use Mouthwash alongside brushing and flossing
Mouthwash is not particularly necessary and not all mouthwashes are useful. Mouthwashes containing Listerine our chlorine dioxide are very helpful because they help to kill and maintain the bacteria in your mouth. It can help maintain good breath as well as help maintain strong teeth. Mouthwash cannot do all the work but if your are already brushing, flossing, visiting the dentist and eating well, mouthwash is the cherry on top that will make your dental health great.


8. Having a toothache or noticing other dental symptoms
If you are having tooth and jaw pain make an appointment  as soon as possible. Your dentist needs to diagnose the underlying cause and correct it before it turns into a greater problem.

9. Look at the Big Picture
Everyone understands that you should take care of your teeth to avoid toothaches, maintain your looks and keep dental bills at bay. Many people, however, don’t understand how crucial oral health is to our total health picture. Tooth problems can lead to diabetes, heart disease, systemic infections, an inability to eat or speak properly and other maladies – some life-threatening. Crooked or crowded teeth can contribute to gum disease that can eventually lead to tooth loss. Straight teeth are no longer just for looks.

10. Clean your tongue
Clean the surface of your tongue daily. By using a professional tongue cleaner you remove countless bacteria that otherwise live, particularly on the rougher top surface of your tongue. These can contribute to bad breath (halitosis) and negatively affect your dental health.

If it’s been a while since your last dental appointment, then we suggest you get in touch to make a booking to get back on track. Our friendly and experienced team at Smilecare is here to help.