BEAUTY Pearly Whites 7449 views

With so many products promising to give you a gleaming Hollywood smile for your big day, it’s not easy working out which is the right option for you. So in honour of National Smile Month in May, we’ve rounded up some of the best products and treatments to find out which ones really promise to make you proud of your pearly whites…

What Are The Options?

There are three levels of teeth whitening treatment available, depending on your purse strings.

Budget Bride

There is a huge range of teeth whitening products available for less than the price of a tall skinny latte (and with considerable less discolouration damage to your teeth).

While none can necessarily guarantee a whiter smile as it does depend heavily on your diet – the more tea, coffee and red wine you consume, for example, the darker your teeth will be – they can offer a cheaper alternative if you want to brighten your smile while avoiding the dentist. Recommended brands include the Colgate Plax Whitening Mouthwash (£3.49 for 500ml) and Pearl Drops Instant White (£6.99) a new simple brush-on tooth veneer that dries in seconds to leave you with whiter-looking teeth.

Miss Middle Ground

If you’ve got a bit more cash to splash, you might consider going down the professional route.

For the price of a pair of Emmy shoes, your dentist will provide you with clear plastic trays made from a mould of your teeth, which you fill with a hydroxide peroxide (bleach) gel every night before you go to bed. The treatment takes two to three weeks and you’re advised to avoid dark coloured food and drink during this time. You can compare the colour of your teeth on the before and after photos. This is a good solution if you’re prepared to spend between £150 and £300 as the results can last for up to two years.

If it’s only days till your wedding and you want a quick whitening fix, book an appointment at Toothplace in London. It’s the UK’s first walk-in dental hygiene bar and offers a Special Occasion High Gloss Diamond Polish for around £150, which is designed to remove tough stains and debris, while leaving you with a brilliant white smile.

All Or Nothing

If you long for a truly stellar smile to rival the likes of Gwyneth and Angelina, for the price of a Vera Wang gown, you could consider having porcelain veneers fitted to your teeth. From anything between £350 to £800 per tooth depending on where you go, your dentist will apply wafer thin laminates that are “cemented” to the front surface of your teeth to improve their cosmetic appearance. Veneers last for anything up to 20 years, although they can chip and break like normal teeth.

Important Bit:

Bleaching tends to make gums and teeth more sensitive but this is not usually permanent. Over-the-counter whitening kits tend not to be as safe as dentist-approved ones. Always consult your dentist before starting on any tooth whitening treatment and visit the British Dental Health Foundation for more information and advice on the best treatment for you.

Your Verdict

0oHeleno0 on the WP chatroom says, “I hated my teeth so much I had porcelain veneers and a gum lift, but I still had to bleach my bottom teeth. I used a treatment called Brite Smile from my dentist – it cost about £500 but worth every penny. I don’t know if I would trust an over-the-counter remedy as I’ve heard some real horror stories.”

© iStock

NEXT WEDNESDAY... Minerals in makeup!