Brits warned off DIY tooth-whitening

Britons may want to reconsider cosmetic dentistry following a warning regarding DIY tooth-whitening treatments.

Professor Andrew Eder, dentist and clinical director of the London Tooth Wear Centre, said that teenagers are increasingly trying out home-made recipes to whiten their teeth.

These included baking soda and salt, which, the dentist warned, can in fact damage teeth and their appearance in the long-term.

Now, Dr James Goolnik has highlighted the fact that dental procedures are coming down in price so "from £99 you can go to your local dentist and have a home-whitening kit, which is the starter range of teeth whitening".

He explained the treatment: "What they do is they make moulds of your teeth and make a sort of mould like a mouth guard, then there is a gel that you syringe into the tray and you wear this tray just for an hour a day for ten days and, each day you wear it, it makes it a little more white than it was to start with."

Regular checkups and appointments with a dentist or hygienist were also noted as good ways of improving dental health and appearance.

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Dentistry news update: 10 November 2010