Teeth whitening treatment has been named the fastest growing cosmetic industry by dental experts.

Statistics from the Association of Cosmetic Tooth Whitening reveal that the popularity of the procedure has risen ten per cent year on year, the Press and Journal reports.

Dental professionals have noted a significant shift in the numbers of people attending appointments for cosmetic reasons as opposed to medical in recent years.

This comes after the General Dental Council called for tougher regulations for unqualified practitioners performing tooth whitening procedures.

Cosmetic dentist Dr Jonathan Wu said: "A good dentist will find out how white you'd like your teeth and then check the health of your teeth and gums, so potential problems can be predicted."

National Smile Month, which got underway yesterday (May 15th), aims to educate people about the importance of good oral hygiene.

The scheme, which runs until June 15th, offers advice on healthy eating and effective methods of tooth care to people who are conscious about their smile. 

Strict regulations should be placed upon teeth whitening practitioners to ensure patient safety, the General Dental Council (GDC) has claimed.

Calling for tougher controls, the organisation has put forward proposals to ensure those performing the procedure are appropriately trained, BBC News reports.

This comes after an increase in the number of people choosing to undergo the treatment in high streets and shopping centres in a bid to save money.

Chief executive of the GDC Evlynne Gilvarry warned people contemplating having their teeth whitened that the procedure should be carried out in a clean and hygienic environment by a professional.

She said: "Over the last few years we have received hundreds of complaints from the public and dental professionals about poor tooth whitening."

Meanwhile, the popularity of teeth whitening procedures in America has been highlighted after figures from the American Institute of Cosmetic Dentistry revealed £1.4 billion (£846 million) is spent on the procedure annually, Stylecaster reports.

People who are looking to undergo tooth whitening have been told to ensure they visit a fully-licensed practitioner.

This warning comes after the New Zealand Ministry of Health launched an investigation into unregistered firms that are carrying out the procedure down under, TV NZ reports.

The decision to look into the existence of bogus or "cowboy" companies comes after a woman suffered burning gums, which had also turned partially white, after she visited an unlicensed establishment.

However, the person in question escaped punishment because they were not official health professionals, which has led to increased calls for the industry to be more tightly regulated.

The country's Environmental Risk Authority has discussed the possibility of banning the use of hydrogen peroxide that is stronger than 3.6 per cent by unregistered practitioners.

Meanwhile, a dentist in Bristol has warned those who are seeking teeth whitening services to avoid bogus firms, after an apparent surge in the number of unknown companies offering discount rates in the UK.

A dentist has been speaking about the improvements in tooth whitening over the past ten years at a conference in the Middle East.

At the Dentistry Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, Dr Edward Lynch from Warwick University said there have been "tremendous advances" even since 2000, "allowing greater predictability in the results", AME Info reports.

The expert, who has been voted the influential person in UK Dentistry 2010 by his peers, explained that dentists are now able to carry out the procedure more safely and effectively.

He added: "There are huge advances in tray design further protecting the gums and bleaching the teeth in a more balanced way."

Last month, Martin G Goebbel, a dentist in the US, told KRQE News that teeth whitening may not take as long as most people think.

Indeed, he said the procedure could be carried out in around two hours if a person's teeth are in good shape.

The list of items bought by George Michael while he was in prison has been found to include teeth whitening products.

Michael was recently released after spending 27 days in jail for possession of cannabis and driving under the influence of drugs.

The Daily Star has discovered that he seemed keen to keep looking good while he was incarcerated, purchasing tooth whitening toothpaste, toenail clippers and shampoo from the shop.

However, he may also have been risking needing emergency dentistry at some point in the future by comfort eating snacks like peanut butter, chocolate eclairs and HobNobs.

The former Wham! singer may be interested to learn that an oral health expert recently recommended professional teeth whitening treatments over toothpaste that is supposed to make their teeth brighter.

NewsNet5.com reported that the chemicals in such pastes could actually wear down tooth enamel and make them look dull as opposed to buffing them up.
       

Having cosmetic dentistry can make a make a person seriously attractive to a potential partner, a study has suggested.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) research found that 75 per cent of people are turned off by undesirable teeth.

Those who have treatments such as tooth whitening can appear more successful, brainy and rich, according to the report.

“When respondents were asked about improvements to their own smiles, the most common response concerned the desire for whiter and brighter teeth,” the AACD stated.

It added that a dazzling smile is considered by many to be an “important social asset” for men and women looking for love.

Earlier this month, cosmetic dental surgeon and implantologist Dr Shreyank Patel told the Times of India that tooth whitening treatments are proving to be particularly popular with people aged between 25 and 35.

She said that there is currently a “strong desire” among everyday people to achieve the dazzling smiles sported by the rich and famous.

Having tooth whitening treatments are one way that the girl in the street could have a smile as dazzling as one of the Victoria’s Secrets models.

Lily Aldridge, Candice Swanepoel and Adriana Lima took to the streets of Los Angeles earlier this week to promote a new fragrance – but it was their teeth which really caught the eye of the Daily Mail.

The newspaper said their “sparkling” smiles and cool hair helped to make the trio look “impossibly gorgeous”.

Lima, Aldridge and Swamepoel are not the only celebrities who understand the importance of having nice teeth.

Earlier this month, a source told the Daily Mirror that pop singer Lady Gaga had tooth whitening products as part of her backstage rider at the MTV Video Music Awards.

However, as a recent column for Dentristy.co.uk pointed out, people do not need a celebrity salary to be able to afford tooth whitening treatments – and many can be carried out on the same day as the consultation.

Patients looking to have cosmetic dentistry may wish to take care where they choose to undergo it after a case in which one patient was left in agony by a blundering practitioner.

Jean Wall from Droylsden was left some money by her late husband and decided to have dental veneers, tooth whitening, crowns and replacement fillings.

However, after Dr Oscar Kwame Gagoh carried out the treatment, she had burnt lips, nerve damage and was unable to eat for some time. The victim was forced to undergo emergency dentistry elsewhere to fix the damage.

The dentist also turned up at Ms Wall’s house demanding cash and she reported that the costs had spiralled since her initial quote.

Ms Wall took legal action against Dr Gagoh and has now been awarded £50,000 in compensation for the pain and suffering she was caused.

Last month, it was reported that Onofrio Brancato – who worked at a dental surgery in Dumfries – had been suspended because his English was not good enough.
 

Cleaning teeth vigorously in the hope of making them whiter actually does more harm, one expert has claimed.

Dr Sultan Sherzoy suggested individuals try Zoom teeth whitening instead to improve the appearance of their smile.

He described how stained teeth require professional treatment and that over-the-counter products will not give the desired effect.

The procedure takes 90 minutes in which time the bleaching agent is applied to the gums and activated by a light that accelerates the brightening of the teeth, the specialist explained.

Dr Sherzoy said: “There is a safe, fast solution to those who want to achieve that sparkling white smile.”

Zoom whitening can be used to treat discolouration caused by tobacco, tea, coffee, red wine and medications, he added.

Entertainment blog Viral Socialite recently advised people to avoid acidic foods and carbonated drinks to help maintain a whiter smile and instead eat oranges which are rich in the natural bleaching agent vitamin C.

Eating crunchy food and gargling water could both help people to achieve a dazzling smile.

Many people may long to have a dazzling smile without visiting their dentist for a tooth whitening treatment and according to one publication, there are some things they can do to help them achieve this.

Regular flossing can get rid of any bits of food that get stuck in the teeth, while eating crunchy food like apples, pears and carrots with plenty of fibre also stops particles from gathering, the Hindustan Times reports.

It also has a top tooth whitening tip for people to try, stating: “A mixture of equal parts of salt and baking soda is a natural bleaching and antibacterial agent. Before brushing with toothpaste, dip the surface of your brush in this mixture.”

Another idea is to gargle water after drinking a cup of tea or coffee to help prevent discolouration, while the news provider states that it is important to brush teeth after every meal.

One star who may want to follow some of this advice is former X Factor contestant Stacey Solomon, who recently had her teeth whitened in Ireland.