Teeth Whitening or Dental Health – Which do the British prefer?

If you had the choice between going to the dentist in order to achieve a whiter smile or going to the dentist to be checked for general teeth and gum health, which would you choose? New research suggests that a rapid growing number of consumers are much more interested in a white smile than they are in the more practical aspects of their dental health.

According to a recent study by Mintel, over two-fifths of British citizens are much more worried about the actual appearance of their teeth than oral hygiene. The survey found that around forty-one percent of Britons are concerned about the colour of their teeth. In comparison, the figures from the study show that only twenty-seven percent of Britons were found to be concerned about the possibility of cavities, and even less than that – around twenty-five percent – were worried about the possibility of receding gums.

Furthermore, this trend is backed up and shown to be accurate when sales figures for whitening toothpastes are taken into account. In 2006, sales of whitening toothpastes were seen to be £55 million. In 2008, however, sales figures increased when they reached £63 million. This is an increase of around fifteen percent, which represents the growing consumer interest in the appearance and especially colour of their teeth.

However, these developments are not simply a case of consumers wanting to have whiter teeth. They reflect a wider goal on behalf of the consumer – that of improving the appearance of their smile and, by extension, the appearance of their face.

More consumers are becoming aware of the possibility of cosmetic dentistry, and, as a result, are becoming less concerned with oral hygiene. Whereas oral hygiene can be considered more practical in regards to dental health, cosmetic dentistry is increasingly seen by consumers as something that can help to ‘fix’ their smile, and consequently improve their self-confidence in addition.

A recent newspaper report confirmed that a rising number of people over the past ten years have been choosing to use the services that cosmetic dentistry can provide for them. Subsequently, the issue of dental health – such as the possibility of cavities or receding gums – has taken less of an important role in the minds of the consumer, and also in terms of the volume of media coverage.

Even events such as a wedding now lead many to include a trip to the dentists in their preparation. Many cosmetic dentists have seen a sharp increase in this particular type of patient, and invariably a treatment to improve the patient’s smile is chosen.

Ultimately, however, it is important that this increase of interest in cosmetic dentistry on behalf of the consumer does not come at the cost of good oral hygiene. As part of almost every consultation with a cosmetic dentist, a dental health check will be carried out. This is because good oral hygiene is vital if a patient is going to maintain the results of their cosmetic dental treatment.

Significantly, it can be seen that bad oral hygiene is often the cause of discoloured teeth, which, in turn, is often the reason that people opt to receive cosmetic dentistry. It can be concluded, therefore, that cosmetic dentistry goes hand in hand with good oral hygiene.

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Dr John Mantel is a Stockport Dentist and provides Teeth Whitening in Manchester and Smile Makeovers. Dr Mantel has considerable experience in guided bone regeneration techniques and bone grafting procedures and also lectures internationally on implant dentistry.