Teeth whitening on test

I had toyed with the idea of having my teeth whitened for ages but somehow never got round to it. I was confused about all the different treatments available – laser, home treatments, over-the-counter jobs … it just seemed to be a minefield of options. How to decide which was the best one for me?

Getting started

Eventually I decided that it was a job best left to the professionals – and headed off to the aptly named Londonsmiling Dental Group to find out more. Entering the foyer I felt like I had strayed into a rather glamorous spa. None of the usual dentist waiting room paraphernalia – instead all was lovely natural wood, calm music and soft lighting. Leafing through the folder of press cuttings in reception was a real eye-opener. Director Uchenna Okoye has featured in all the major glossy magazines and broadsheets and made a recent Vogue Hot List – the style bible's guide to what the glitterati will be swooning over this season.

'Do you know that you constantly attempt to hide your teeth when you're talking,' Uchenna asked within roughly two minutes of meeting me. Did I ever I thought – I've struggled with my less than perfect teeth for years! 'I would like them to be whiter,' I explained, 'but I don't want to blind anyone when I smile.'

The secret apparently, revealed Uchenna, is to match your teeth colour to the whites of your eyes. Anything brighter will look too artificial – and it shouldn't be obvious to the world at large you've had your teeth 'done'. And so she went to work. My teeth were in such a state that I was to have both laser treatment at the surgery and a course of home whitening. A mould was taken of my top and bottom set of teeth and sent off for casting, and I was given an appointment for a week later to come back for my laser treatment.

The second visit

My moulds were fitted and the whitening gel applied, then I settled down to watch a DVD (Sex and the City, the 4th series, if you must know) as the laser did its work. I was also treated to a relaxing hand wax as I lay there – good to make use of the free time! Laser time varies from person to person - from half an hour right up to an hour and a half – it all depends on how many shades lighter you want to go. Because I am starting off from 'yellow' (urg), I need to go 13 shades up – hence the need for home treatments as well as laser.

Before I leave I'm given my take-home moulds and the tubes of whitening gel, together with full instructions on how to apply. Uchenna warns that I may have some sensitivity in my teeth over the next few hours and I'm also told to avoid eating and drinking coloured foods or drinks for the rest of the day.

Home treatment

The home treatment is quite straightforward – I have to squeeze the gel onto the moulds and fit on my teeth. The moulds need to be left on for eight hours, so wearing them to bed is the most practical option. It feels a bit odd at first – but by the second night I'm a dab hand at it and the moulds fit snugly. The problem with home kits, Uchenna points out, is that the moulds are obviously not custom-made and may not fit tightly – which can lead to gel seeping out and burning your mouth. Some of the less reputable brands also use acid in their formulas, which can actually dissolve enamel and make the teeth seem even darker than before.

Coming near the end of the run my teeth are starting to feel a bit sensitive the day after treatment. I contact Uchenna to let her know and she posts me a de-sensitising gel to add to the mould before my nightly treatment, which sorts out the problem.

The final visit

I've been admiring my lovely new teeth for several days now – but there has been no sudden dramatic change that frightens people in the street. It's a nice subtle treatment, and my teeth look so much better than they did. This is confirmed once I return to the clinic for my final visit – the exact shade of whiteness has been achieved, we're all really happy with the results and I don't have to try and hide my horrible teeth anymore. It's a real confidence booster.

Information and advice

Next Generation Whitening costs £835.
Londonsmiling Dental Group has clinics in Gloucester Rd, Goodge St and Harley St, and it is Uchenna's – modest! – ambition to change the face of dentistry in the UK. She has also worked in the US, which is a lot more advanced than Britain in the field of cosmetic dentistry of course. She holds a Masters degree from NYU, and is an honorary clinician at St George's in London.

'I really want to educate people – and show that cosmetic dentistry is affordable and, more than that, a really important part of the image we present to the world,' she explains. 'Your smile is the first thing people notice about you, and bad teeth can also have an ageing effect.'

Her next step lies in working with other practitioners outside London – to provide training and bring services in the UK in line with what's available elsewhere, providing customers with a highly professional, highly successful service.

Contact

www.londonsmiling.com
Harley Street, Goodge Street and Gloucester Road practices
Telephone 020 7636 7616
Great Teeth, Great Smile, Great Life!

Want to find out more?

 
If you want to find out more about cosmetic dentistry without having to pluck up the courage to walk into a surgery, visit www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk. Here you can find everything you need to know about all the procedures and treatments available from an expert panel of dentists – you can even send in your own questions to receive tailored advice. You’ll also be able to find out about all the most up-to-date treatments – including the latest from the US, 6 Month Smiles.

News - just launched!

Regular brushing is the fail-safe way to keep your teeth in top condition, and now you can keep your toothbrush in tip top condition too. Just launched on the market, the Philips Sonicare UV Sanitiser uses ultraviolent light to sanitise brush heads and kills 99.9% of germs (dental experts estimate the average toothbrush contains 10 million different germs, which are activated by toilet flushing - lovely!). Place your brush heads in the sanitiser for 10 minutes and the job is done. It costs £39.99 and is available from Argos - click here for more.