Welcome to the first edition of the Newkirkgate Dental Care patient newsletter. This will be updated monthly and will allow us to keep you, our patients up to date with the affairs of the practice and to communicate any important information as necessary, especially amidst the current global pandemic due to Covid-19.
The practice remains closed for face to face appointments as per the guidelines implemented by the Chief Dental Officer for Scotland and the Scottish Government. This means we can only provide telephone consultations at this moment.
We appreciate your understanding during this unprecedented time. If you are currently experiencing any pain or discomfort or require dental advice, please call the practice on 0131 554 3509 between Monday-Friday from 9AM-5PM where a member of our team will be able to provide you with advice and guidance.
If you have a dental emergency out with our working hours, please contact NHS 24 by calling 111.
We are unable to confirm when these restrictions may be lifted, however we will open as soon as we are able to do so safely and will update you when that time comes. As a result of being unable to see you directly we are currently putting plans in place to provide the urgent treatment to be completed when we can re-open.In the meantime, we would like to reiterate the government’s message- Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.
We would like to reassure you that we have a Dentist available for telephone consultations during working hours. Whilst we are unable to provide face to face appointments, we can provide pain relief and antibiotics when necessary. There are three Ugent Dental Care (UDC) hubs in the Lothian where emergency treatment can be carried out. You can only attend these centers on referral by your own dental Practice or by NHS 24 if out of working hours.
All Scottish dental practices are now preparing to reopen for dental emergencies following strict guidance from the Scottish Government. We have written re-opening protocols with risk assessments for the safe return of our patients in the dental practice. We will keep you updated with the exact date we will reopen.
Looking after your child’s teeth
During lock down parents are able to spend more time with their children which is a good opportunity to discuss the importance of brushing their teeth and the amount of sugar they consume and the harm it can do to their teeth. Advice to reduce the risk of you child developing decay are:
The main cause of tooth decay is having too much sugar or acid in the diet. The more often your child has sugary or acidic foods or drinks, the higher the chance they will have of developing tooth decay.
It is important to minimize the amount of sugar intake your child has and try to avoid snacking in between meals. If you would like to give your child a snack, try to stick to sugar free food and drinks such as water, milk, cheese, vegetable and fruit.
Reduce the amount of bacteria that is in the mouth by brushing first thing in the morning and before bed. It is especially important to use a toothpaste that contains fluoride at a concentration between 1000ppm and 1500ppm.
It is important to supervise your child’s brushing until they are at least seven.
Which toothbrush should brush should children use? The most important thing is to use a small-headed toothbrush with soft, nylon bristles, suitable for the age of your child.
Goodbye Tasos !
We are sad to announce that we have parted company with our much-loved colleague Dr Georgiadis. Tasos has been with us since the practice opened in 2015. Tasos has chosen to move to Germany to pursue a career in Orthodontics. We would like to wish him all the best in future.
Hello George !
Georgios Koukoutselos
GDC No 221962
As one door closes another open and we would like to welcome Dr Koukoutselos. After qualifying from the university of Athens, Greece, Georgios started working in a private practice in Athens, before moving to the UK in 2013. Georgios aim is to create a more relaxed experience for his patients and is committed to providing the most effective solutions on all aspects of dental care. His areas of interest are in prosthetic dentistry and minor oral surgery. In his free time Georgios enjoys hiking and travelling.