From Smiles to Sustainability: Showing Some Valentine’s Love

Welcome to February, a more settled month than January, where the commitments, routines and pressures of the New Year can feel overwhelming. If you set realistic resolutions this is a key month to avoid them falling by the wayside: keep going now and they will likely stay the distance.

We started the New Year with some positive goals and stretching challenges (as you would expect!), which I am excited to share with you. First, the February date you can’t ignore- but have you thought how it relates to your teeth?

Show Your Smile Some Love

Yes, Valentine’s is upon us, with hearts, flowers and chocolates everywhere! We all know not to judge a book by the cover and it is what is inside that matters... but we know first impressions also count and our smile, teeth and oral health can make a huge difference to our confidence across all aspects of life.

Whether it is cleaning, aligning or replacing, a straight, complete smile can be life-changing and as much about long-term health and wellbeing as appearance. Aligned teeth without gaps put less pressure on the jaw, making eating more comfortable and cleaning easier; helping reduce plaque build-up, tooth decay, gum disease and the further health issues this can invite.

Straight-Talking Support

Modern braces are comfortable, discreet and often virtually invisible, with a wide range of choice to suit everyone. Just like your New Year’s resolutions, it is important to follow your personalised treatment plan for long-term correction. This is where retainers and clear aligner systems like Invisalign have been game-changing, gently holding or correcting teeth into their new position as gums and bone adjust.

Whether fixed or removable, your dentist will give you a hygiene care programme that it is vital to follow, to prevent trapped food, plaque and infection. As well as brushing, flossing and mouthwash, it is vital to clean retainers appropriately. Modern cleaners, like the Zima Dental Pod Ultrasonic Retainer Cleaner, use high-frequency pulses to create intense waves which hygienically clean without the damage risked by over-brushing.

White Teeth, Green Practices

Hot off the press, we are delighted to have been awarded a rare "Gold" Green Impact for Dentistry Gold Award 2025. Covering a wide range of sustainability measures, this really challenged us in every aspect of the practice. One focus area is the clinical waste generated by dentistry - including mouthware. So we are delighted to be partnering with the Angel Aligner dental recycling programme, dedicated to eliminating dental waste by specialist recycling and reusing materials from retainers, braces and aligners. With hundreds of thousands fitted every year, that is a significant amount of landfill averted- definitely something to smile about!

Introducing Sophie

Richard Hellen

Sophie Kirby

It is also the perfect time to feature Sophie Kirby, who joined us last autumn and has become a key member of the Crossbank Dental Care “family”. An Orthodontic Therapist, Sophie works alongside Dr Richard Hellen in our fantastic "Teeth Straightening Team". So if you are thinking 2026 is the year to rediscover a straighter, more comfortable smile, Sophie will give you all the understanding, attention and skilled care you expect from all our Crossbank Dental Care smile heroes.

That is a first look at some of our early-year news, partnerships and goals, with plenty more to come! Our passion for being the best we can be, in customer care, practice sustainability, community, charity and outreach work, shines as brightly as ever: so watch this space!

Wishing you the Valentine’s you desire, with plenty to smile about. Any queries, concerns or resolutions, we’re always here to welcome and help, Bex x