Follow the 'teeth whitening' footsteps of Amanda Holden

A dazzling killer smile is high up on everyone’s list. 

We gaze longingly at the glossy photos of singers, actors and actresses flashing their pearly white grins on the front of magazines. 

And, thankfully, this glowing smile is not out of our reach.

Recent years has seen an incredible boom in the teeth whitening industry, with a number of different methods and products hitting the market for the ordinary consumer. 

Although we know it is available, most of the time cosmetic dental work is dismissed as expensive and time consuming.

But this does not have to be the case – you can see your teeth glow several shades whiter in just a week. 

Dr Mervyn Druian, of the London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry, is a key player in the whitening game. 

A leading pioneer, he was the introduced the first in-surgery teeth whitening system to the UK from the US in 1991. 

His London practice, located near Belsize Park, offers a number of cosmetic dental treatments, and prides itself in offering affordable teeth whitening – and not just to celebs.

And it is really a family affair – Mervyn’s daughter, Bernita Shelley, also works at the practice.

Hygienist by name, she also looks after the facial aesthetics of the practice – as well as running classes.

But what will this actually involve? 

1. The friendly reception staff will firstly ask you to fill out a patient data form if you are new to the practice. This includes basic personal information and your health history.

2. When you are good to go, you will be taken into one of the dental surgeries where you will have a basic oral health check. This is also when the colour of your teeth will be checked against a chart. This is split into four different shade ranges – A, B, C and D – with one end of the shade being the whitest and the far end being the most discoloured. The dentist will then be able to give you an idea of how they hope the treatment will work. 

3. Before proceeding to the in-surgery treatment, moulds of your teeth need to be taken so the team can create your bespoke trays. These are for the home kits – you will syringe the gel into the trays yourself and keep them in for one hour each day for the next week.

4. The in-surgery treatment is next. This takes about an hour but be warned – you will not be able to talk! Taking a magazine or book might be wise for those who get restless or need a distraction. The clinician will use an cheek and lip retractor to keep your mouth open before applying a solution to protect the gums.
 
5. The gel comes next, along with a light to help the treatment get to work. The gel may need to be replaced a few times to get you the best results.

And that is it! You will be handed your newly made mouth trays, along with the home kit, and told exactly how to use them. 

Be warned however, you will need to be dentally fit before having teeth whitening, so if you want to whiten your teeth, the best place to start is with a healthy mouth.