This Manchester dentist is offering guests the chance to enhance their teeth with a multitude of cosmetics, including viral teeth trends.
Everyone is always after one thing in life, and it’s keeping those pearly whites looking as shiny and polished as ever.
Social media platforms have encouraged more and more of us to explore different cosmetic and aesthetic dental procedures, so much so that the term ‘Turkey teeth’ has become synonymous online with anyone who has seemingly taken a trip and returned to the UK with un-naturally white and abnormal teeth.
Another cosmetic procedure done to improve the appearance of teeth is composite bonding.
Unfamiliar with it? Well, we took matters into our own hands by consulting Dr Billal Arshad, a world class cosmetic dentist at Rüh Dental in Spinningfields, to get out his expertise.
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Rüh Dental offers a tailored-to-you experience and provides all the advice you could possibly need / Credit: The Manc Group
Rüh Dental does things differently, building confidence one smile at a time with natural, bespoke results that seek to enhance rather than overpower.
The company takes a unique approach to dentistry – one where artistry, luxury, and care come together seamlessly.
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For Rüh Dental, it’s about more than just crafting dream smiles and helping people feel their best.
Q&A with Dr Billal Arshad about composite bonding
Q: What does composite bonding entail?
A: Composite bonding is a minimally-invasive cosmetic dental procedure where a tooth-coloured resin is applied to your teeth to improve their shape, size, or colour.
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Think of it as a way to smooth out imperfections, whether it’s chipped, uneven, or discoloured teeth, without drilling or removing natural enamel. I sculpt the resin by hand, layer by layer, then harden it with a special blue light.
The result? A natural-looking, flawless smile in just one appointment.
Q: Does it help with sensitive teeth?
A: Yes, it can. Since composite bonding covers exposed areas of enamel, it can act as a protective layer against temperature sensitivity caused by worn-down teeth or minor enamel loss.
While it’s not a cure for deep-rooted sensitivity issues (like nerve-related pain), it does help reduce discomfort from hot, cold, or acidic foods.
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If sensitivity is a major concern, then it’s best to have a conversation with your dentist about whether bonding is the best option for you. There may be other solutions such as Invisalign – a clear, removable aligner system that gradually straightens teeth – instead.
You can get up to £1,000 off Invisalign at Rüh Dental from 25 February to 6 March.
The Spinningfields-based company has sleek and modern dentist spaces / Credit: The Manc Group
Q: What’s the maintenance like?
A: Bonded teeth are low maintenance, but not indestructible.
You’ll still need to brush and floss as usual, but there are a few extra precautions. Avoid biting hard objects (ice, pens and fingernails) and anything that could cause staining (coffee, red wine, curry) since bonding can discolour over time.
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Regular check-ups and polishing help keep them looking fresh as well as a night guard to protect your bonding if you grind your teeth.
Q: How do you stop it from looking fake / or like ‘Turkey teeth’?
A: You mean the dreaded oversized, overly-white, and un-natural look? The key to avoiding this is subtlety and skill.
Shade matching, so choosing a shade that complements your natural teeth, not one that looks like a neon sign. Ensuring natural contours, as after all, teeth aren’t perfectly straight slabs, they have natural grooves and variations, which I replicate. Proper proportions are also key – no oversized, bulky teeth, but ones that are shaped to suit your face and bite.
The goal is a refreshed, natural smile – one that looks like you, but even better.
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Rüh Dental is offering a range of cut-price procedures for a limited time only. / Credit: The Manc Group
As mentioned, Rüh Dental is offering Invisalign at a cut-price for one week only, offering free teeth whitening (worth £500), free Vivera retainers (worth £500), a free digital scan and simulation, and even a complimentary consultation.
Fancy checking out any of these cosmetic treatments and accessing the benefits listed above? Rüh Dental is running this promotion for one week only from 25 February to 6 March.
NatWest to close dozens more bank branches in 2025 – including eight in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
NatWest has announced that it’ll be closing a further 52 bank branches throughout 2025, and Greater Manchester will be affected.
In what is set to be another blow to the already-struggling high street, NatWest has confirmed that it will be closing down another 52 branches before 2025 is out, bringing its total closures across the UK to a significant 105.
Dozens of regions nationwide are set to be affected by the closures this year, including here in Greater Manchester.
This year’s closures follow the dozens that shut in 2024, although our region – and the North West in general – appeared to escape quite lightly from that cull, with only the Tameside town of Stalybridge losing its branch in July, but in 2025, we aren’t set to be so lucky as eight branches are shutting up shop, and some have already gone.
Manchester city centre, Stockport, and Urmston are just a couple of the local areas where closures are starting to take place.
NatWest to close dozens more bank branches in 2025 / Credit: PickPik
NatWest said the closures reflect the general shift to online banking, with more than 80% of its current account holders now using digital services instead of in-person, and the majority of new accounts opened online.
The company added that more than £20m will be invested in its UK network next year, including upgrades to branches that are still open, support through Post Offices and banking hubs, and pop-up services in some areas.
Greater Manchester NatWest branches closing in 2025
Farnworth, Bolton – 15/05/25
Manchester Portland Street – 11/06/25
Middleton – 30/04/25
Rochdale – 10/06/25
Trafford Park – 20/05/25
Hazel Grove, Stockport – 19/06/25
Heaton Chapel, Stockport – 03/06/25
Urmston – 13/05/25
“Like any business, we strive to meet our customers’ changing needs and expectations,” NatWest commented on the closure announcements, “and we’ve been responding to the industry-wide shift towards digital services by investing to broaden what customers can do themselves and to offer them greater personalisation.
“We recognise, however, that some people still need help to adapt, particularly our vulnerable customers.
“Our customer support specialists proactively contact branch users who we know may need additional support when a branch closes and, where there’s a need, we install community pop-ups to help customers become familiar with alternative banking services.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Nearly 60% of Brits are too ‘uncomfortable’ to use the toilet at work, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
The UK is currently in the middle of a toilet aversion epidemic, it would seem… or at least if the results of a new survey are anything to go by.
For some people, nipping to the loo at the work seems like a simple task as any, perhaps even a welcome break from the busyness or the monotony of their day-to-day duties, but for others it’s a much less pleasant experience – for a whole multitude of reasons, we might add.
Whether it be below-par facilites, a cleanliness choice, personal health reasons, or even something as simple as avoiding bathroom small talk with colleagues, a new survey by Victorian Plumbing has discovered that there is a widespread reluctance among UK employees to use workplace toilets – with more than half saying they find the experience ‘uncomfortable’.
The company’s new findings – taken from a survey of 1,000 Brits – uncovered that, overall, 57% feel uncomfortable using their workplace toilet.
Nearly 60% of Brits are too ‘uncomfortable’ to use the toilet at work / Credit: Point3D (via Unsplash)
As a result, two in five employees say they’ll only use their work bathroom when they are absolutely desperate to go, and more than one in 10 (13%) of employees admit that they avoid it at all costs, preferring to hold it in instead.
There was also some gender disparities in the results, as the study found that 26% of women admit they never use the workplace toilet for bowel movements, compared to just 9% of men, as for many women, it apparently comes down to the fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed (57%), encountering colleagues (55%), and being overheard (54%).
More than 4% of women said they’re more likely to use the toilet at work while on their period, however, and 18% cited that they have to due to medical conditions like endometriosis.
But do these actions have consequences? Of course they do.
Around one in 10 people will avoid going altogether / Credit: Victorian Plumbing
With the average employee spending more than 36 hours per week at work, according to recent statistics, avoiding the workplace toilet could likely cause some real damage, so it’s no surprise that 41% of Brits say holding it in during the work day causes them physical discomfort or pain.
A further 39% confessed that the habit leads to stress and anxiety, and three in 10 have found that it reduces their focus and productivity.
The results from the survey are what prompted Victorian Plumbing to create the ‘Superior Stalls Policy’, which aims to inspire employers to reconsider their workplace bathroom setups so employees are more comfortable.
“Brits feel far less comfortable using workplace toilets than their own at home, and this doesn’t sit right with us,” commented Alex Woods, who is a bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing.
“Yes, there’s no place like your own toilet, but with the average Brit spending over 36 hours a week at work, everyone deserves to feel at ease – even in the loo.”
Featured Image – Possessed Photography (via Unsplash)
Thomas Melia -
20th February 2025 
