Perfect your pearly whites for National Smile Month

Love London

You may not have been aware, but this last month has been National Smile Month. Organised and run by the British Dental Health Foundation, National Smile Month is dedicated to improving the oral health of the public by providing free and impartial dental advice, educational materials and national campaigns. This year saw the 40th anniversary, and in celebration of this milestone I decided to try out something new that I’ve been interested in sampling for a while…teeth whitening.

While there are many inexpensive at-home whitening kits you can easily get from the likes of Boots, their effectiveness and longevity is somewhat dubious. When it comes to something as precious as your smile, it’s always a safer option to pay the price and head for a proper practice. After much research, I settled on The London Smile Clinic and their Britesmile procedure.

Founded in 1999. The London Smile Clinic has become a true leader within the dental industry in the last twelve years, offering the latest and most effective technology to its patients. Its expert team of pioneering dental practitioners, create naturally beautiful smiles every day and with exceptional results and quality of service.

Britesmile, the No.1 US in-chair whitening system, is a single visit whitening treatment which works particularly well on healthy teeth that have yellowed with age or stained from coffee, red wine or smoking. There is also the option of a home whitening kit – depending on the level of whitening needed the dentist will decide which treatment you need.

The initial consultation involved me meeting Dr. Tim Bradstock-Smith who explained the treatment and gave me a check up to ensure that my teeth were suitable – so far so good, my teeth are perfectly healthy and were exactly the right specification to respond well to whitening.
I then returned at a later date for the actual procedure. Upon arrival I was presented with a DVD library from which to choose something to watch during my treatment; movies in the middle of the day – what a treat! I naturally settled for Sex and the City…

The first step was to take impressions of my teeth to create the at-home trays I would later take away with me. The sensation of a tray filled with putty being wedged into my mouth brought back memories of having my braces fitted as a teenager. I was then settled back in the chair with a pair of DVD glasses (they have tiny screens in the lenses – genius!) while the preparation took place. The mouth is opened wide with a kind of clamp, and the gums are prepared to protect them from the gel and ensure that the bleach will only touch the teeth. After all the prep was complete, I was ready to be whitened…

The gel was applied to my teeth before a laser light was shone on them for twenty minutes. The gel is then wiped off and reapplied and the process repeated. Usually three applications of twenty minutes each are sufficient, however at The London Smile Clinic they see such impressive results between the third and fourth application that they always use four. The whole process took about 90 minutes and while it does get slightly uncomfortable having your mouth stretched open for so long, the results are worth it.

I could clearly see the difference immediately after the treatment, and bar a couple of brief tingles of sensitivity it was a totally pain free procedure. The before and after photos above don't really do it justice, my teeth looked much whiter to me than they do in the photo. My teeth were quite sensitive for around 24 hours afterwards which is a normal reaction, however a syringe of soothing relief gel was provided which help calm the symptoms. It’s also recommended to use a sensitive toothpaste for the week preceding your treatment to help ease any sensitivity which may occur.

By the time my 90 minutes was up my home trays had been created ready for me to take home. Moulded to the shape of my teeth, the bleach gel us placed in the trays and seared over the teeth for up to an hour a day to top up the treatment or give it an extra boost – enough gel was provided for about 12 months of applications which is a great extra. I have topped up at home since my initial treatment and have continued to see great results since.

Though certainly not inexpensive, (£795) the Britesmile treatment was definitely a worthwhile investment. If yellowed or stained teeth are something that blight you it’s worth looking into; although I’ve seen a lot worse in my time, I was always conscious that my teeth were slightly discoloured. Working in the fashion & beauty industry it’s something that’s always been a bugbear of mine, not to mention being more noticeable on certain occasions like when wearing red lipstick - I can now safely say I no longer have that problem!

I’m aware that forking out on a costly whitening treatment is not for everyone, so I’ve put together a few suggestions below to help you make the most of your smile in a purse-friendly fashion. Though they undoubtedly won’t have as dramatic as effect as an in-practice laser whitening treatment, some of them may help polish your pearly whites!

Pearl Drops Pro-White (50ml, £5.10) toothpase contains a clinically proven professional ingredient – Perlite – used by dentists to effectively yet safely whiten teeth by removing even stubborn stains, as well as plaque. It’s gentle enough to use every day to help safely remove stains caused by tea, coffee, red wine, coke and even smoking; bringing back natural shine and whiteness.

The new Arm & Hammer SONIC Spinbrush toothbrush (£12.99 at Boots) offers deep cleaning, advanced sonic technology, and is clinically proven to remove up to 90 per cent of plaque in hard-to-reach places. With six times more plaque nestled between teeth in areas that are awkward to reach with a manual brush, the SONIC Spinbrush deep cleans to leave you with outstandingly clean teeth and healthy gums. For maximum results try the Arm & Hammer Deep Clean Regime by using the SONIC Spinbrush toothbrush in conjunction with Arm & Hammer Brilliant Sparkle® Gel, which uses the simple power of Baking Soda to remove plaque effectively, so that you can combine the WOW sensation of powerful freshness and deep cleaning properties you deserve!

For more information on The London Smile Clinic and its treatments please visit www.londonsmile.co.uk

Love Laurel x

Posted Date
Jun 18, 2012 in Love London by Laurel