It’s no secret that having a great smile can make us feel more confident. A recent study by the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry found that people who have undergone cosmetic dentistry procedures are more likely to report feeling attractive and happy with their overall appearance. And who wouldn’t want that, right?
There is little doubt that a sparkling smile is a wonderful thing. However, after years of guzzling red wine, black coffee and a mouth full of schoolboy fillings I’ve always been a little self-conscious about my teeth.
Nobody wants wine stained teeth and according to studies 30 percent of us Brits are unhappy or very unhappy with our teeth, and 69 percent believe having visibly damaged teeth impacts our emotional wellbeing.
The good news is, there are a few things you can do to keep your smile looking bright and white. The simplest and quickest of these procedures is teeth whitening.
The current trend for super-straight and ridiculously white ‘Turkey teeth’ really is not our thing, but we did decide to give teeth whitening a go. If your teeth are in reasonably good condition but could do with some sprucing up in the colour department, whitening might be the right choice for you; it’s quick, effective and the results are pretty good!
So I hopped on a train to leafy Northwood in North London to visit L&Y Dental, a practice that was co-founded by Lakshmi Rao and Dr. Yasmin Anaboussi de Santiago. Dr. Yasmin is an expert in full mouth restorations, cosmetic dentistry, and an Advance Aesthetic Practitioner with a wealth of experience working as a dentist and clinical director in London, Barcelona and Madrid. The practice covers everything from general dentistry to cosmetic dentistry options like whitening, composite bonding, and porcelain veneers.
First thing that hit us was how relaxed and ‘spa’ like the environment was; this was certainly not my regular experience of visiting dentists. Our visit to L&Y was surprisingly relaxing with the practice clearly designed with patients’ comfort in mind. This pleasant dental experience was also thanks to the kind and caring nature of our dentist Dr. Yasmin and the wonderful hygienist Pooja.
Pre-whitening there was a visit to Pooja the hygienist who was extremely thorough while managing to still be very gentle. She also kindly loaded me up with mini toothpastes and travel floss for our frequent travels, which was a nice touch.
The whitening process I tried took around 45-minutes with a gel solution put on my teeth alongside a mouth guard. The gel was added several times during the procedure to soak in. It was comfortable and completely pain free.
Cosmetic teeth whitening is an increasingly popular way to achieve a brighter, whiter smile. Not only can it provide you with a boost of confidence and self-esteem but with its many advantages, teeth whitening is an easy and affordable way to improve your oral health and give yourself a dazzling smile that will (hopefully) last for years to come.
L&Y Dental, 46 Green Lane, Northwood, HA6 2QB.
