While pens, paper and other stationery may be on the back-to-school lists of most children, new research has discovered that teeth whitening may be too.
A study carried out by American Express found that almost half of parents plan to spend money on cosmetic services before their little ones return to school in September, with 18 per cent saying teeth whitening is on the agenda.
Spa services and tattoos were found to be other popular items that ranked alongside laptops and calculators as essential school equipment.
American Express found it was most likely to be parents under 30 who would buy cosmetic services and high-end technology for their offspring, as they would be more likely to recognise the pressure to “keep up with the Joneses”.
Earlier this month, Doctor Jonathan Scheff, chief medical officer for Health Net, recommended that parents take their children to see a dentist before they go back to school, as this could prevent a need for emergency dentistry in the future.
