Walk in to any supermarket, and you’ll see teeth-whitening products lining the aisles, whether it’s toothpaste, whitening strips, or chewing gum. But is teeth whitening really a high priority for those of us who want to stay fashionable? Today’s guest post was written by Martin, who if you can’t tell, is from the Cosmetic Dentistry Guide site, where you can learn more about teeth whitening or many other cosmetic dental treatments to boost your fashion profile. Here he addresses our obsession with white teeth and gives you some tips on achieving the look.
The cover of every magazine, every photo of a Hollywood A-lister, the presenters on TV and the manufactured pop-stars filling up the charts … what do they all have in common? A gleaming white smile.
Whether their teeth are aligned and looked after “perfectly,” all the major role models, celebs and fashionistas in our society have brilliant white teeth. We all know that they’ve had them done professionally cleaning or bleached, and some of them aren’t even showing off their real teeth. However, it is necessary to whiten your teeth in order to be considered fashionable?
Are white teeth just a trend right now, like the colors that come in and out each year? Or would Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss suddenly lose all their fashionable credibility if they were to turn up on the catwalk with a more natural shade of teeth?
How can you make sure your smile is “fashionable?”
Teeth whitening gels and strips can be used in the comfort of your own home, without the need to sit in the dentist’s chair. Over-the-counter whitening trays and gels are either brushed into or applied onto teeth at home. The peroxide in these gels usually takes a few weeks to achieve full results, and teeth stay white for a number of months. Similar effects are achieved by whitening toothpastes, which use special abrasives and chemical agents to remove stains and improve the shade of teeth. Neither option costs a lot, so it’s easy for teenagers and young adults to get a hold of them.
Treatment at the dentist allows for more protection to gums and a longer-lasting effect, but this comes with an increased cost. The use of laser or heat treatment means that the whitening can be done in one visit, with the cleaning agents applied directly onto the teeth.
The risks are virtually nil for most people and the results can be both short and longer term, depending on how the teeth are whitened, so it’s clear to see why people are reaching for a quick solution to solve their naturally stained teeth.
But, doesn’t it all serve as part of the illusion?
It’s become common knowledge that most of the photos used in celebrity and glamour magazines are digitally enhanced to improve the figures of ordinary people. It’s an easy deception which many believe gives off a false impression of beauty. It’s common to want to look like all the stars in these photos, and young girls and teenagers are going to follow-suit no matter what. It might not be completely necessary to have brilliant white teeth in order to be considered fashionable, but parents might be more accepting of this rather than having their children starving themselves in order to look as thin as a catwalk model. In the end, it’s all down to personal boundaries. But why not try and bring natural teeth in as the next big trend, eh?
Photo Credit: anythinghollywood.com
What do you think? Is teeth whitening necessary? Do you whiten your teeth?
Popularity: 2% [?]
