We have all seen the dazzling smiles that celebrities like Julia Roberts and David Boreanaz give the camera, so how do you get the same result?

In years gone by, the process would be limited to the dental chair and practiced mostly by cosmetic dentists. Today, you can choose to start off your new smile in the dentist chair, and continue maintenance at home, or you could even start with a home whitening kit and follow it up with daily maintenance at home.

How would you maintain that celebrity smile? Simply, keep your teeth as white as possible, and add teeth whitening to your daily hygiene routine! Many of you will worry that teeth whitening is a lengthy process and whilst you desperately want the smile of the year, you do not have an hour or two a day to dedicate to whitening teeth.

Teeth whitening at home is not a lengthy process, it is as simple as brushing your teeth! In the dentist’s chair the use of chemicals and machinery “whiten” or “bleach” the teeth, and although this may be necessary for serious discoloration to the teeth this process is mimicked with your toothbrush and toothpaste which is specifically manufactured for whitening.
Teeth whitening toothpastes contain minute abrasive particles such as aluminum oxide or calcium carbonate, these particles combined with the motion of brushing, which in itself is scrubbing the teeth, provides the abrasive action that causes teeth whitening to take place. Age, tobacco, dark coloured food and drink are the most common reasons why the teeth become discolored, this discoloration happens when particles of debris get stuck in the microscopic cracks in the enamel of the teeth, with the vigorous brushing and the abrasive particles in teeth whitening tooth pastes, the debris is removed and the teeth appear whiter and brighter.

The side effects of teeth whitening include sensitivity to temperature and touch, you could experience gum irritation from the toothpaste and you could land up with Technicolor teeth. Technicolor teeth occur when you have caps and crowns which are not affected by the teeth whitening toothpaste. Gum irritation and sensitivity to temperature normally clear up after a few days, but should the discomfort continue for longer than a week it is advisable to consult your dentist.
There is a wide range of teeth whitening toothpastes on the market, choosing the best one for you would depend on how quickly you want to see results and how sensitive your teeth are before you start any teeth whitening treatments.

Some products, like the SuperSmile Accelerator pack include an extra tube which has more peroxide in the toothpaste, combining the accelerator paste with the whitening paste increases the intensity of your teeth whitening brushing minutes giving you noticeable results faster than without the accelerator.

SuperSmile also have a travel pack, which is all five of the flavours available in a smaller travel size, this is a great option for when you going to be away and need that extra packing space in your luggage, or if you are new to the teeth whitening toothpaste family you could always try out the travel pack and find the flavour that you like the most without having to buy large tubes of each flavor individually!

There are also products specifically for sensitive teeth available, so it would be advisable for you to start your new teeth whitening plan by choosing a teeth whitening toothpaste that suits your lifestyle and pocket!