Last year, the British took out more £9.4 billion in loans for dental work, which is three times the amount of money borrowed for such procedures in 2007, according to a study by Sainsbury's Finance.
The sudden jump in spending on private dental treatment is not only a reflection of fledging NHS dental services--the average personal loan for a dental treatment was £6,492, the cost of two dental implants, two crowns and a teeth whitening treatment--but also the age-old desire to retain a youthful appearance and the increasing pressure to have a million-dollar celebrity smile. (Another study, conducted by market research company Mintel, found that 40 percent of Brits are concerned about the colour of their teeth.)
In the past, consumers often reached for over-the-counter methods, like Crest Whitestrips and ProTeeth Whitening, usually priced between £8 and £50, to quickly and inexpensively diminish coffee, wine and cigarette stains on tooth enamel. One home whitening kit even boasts using a battery operated light to "accelerate" teeth whitening.
While surveys and product tests have shown that some of these home kits are better than others, overall, these do-it-yourself methods have been proven to be much less effective than standard professional treatments, which can run from £250-800 and include some at-home applications. Over-the-counter kits however, do not contain enough amounts of Carbamide Peroxide, which is one of the most successful bleaching agents used in professional whitening procedures - and thus often fail to show significant results, according to many teeth whitening and dental professionals.
These days, consumers are willing to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense for the cosmetic treatment because they feel more comfortable working with a dentist, who can advise the best whitening options--from a series of bleaching procedures to laser whitening. Costs for laser teeth whitening procedures are generally more than standard teeth whitening, ranging from £700 to £1,300 in the U.K.
by Pauline Felward
The sudden jump in spending on private dental treatment is not only a reflection of fledging NHS dental services--the average personal loan for a dental treatment was £6,492, the cost of two dental implants, two crowns and a teeth whitening treatment--but also the age-old desire to retain a youthful appearance and the increasing pressure to have a million-dollar celebrity smile. (Another study, conducted by market research company Mintel, found that 40 percent of Brits are concerned about the colour of their teeth.)
In the past, consumers often reached for over-the-counter methods, like Crest Whitestrips and ProTeeth Whitening, usually priced between £8 and £50, to quickly and inexpensively diminish coffee, wine and cigarette stains on tooth enamel. One home whitening kit even boasts using a battery operated light to "accelerate" teeth whitening.
While surveys and product tests have shown that some of these home kits are better than others, overall, these do-it-yourself methods have been proven to be much less effective than standard professional treatments, which can run from £250-800 and include some at-home applications. Over-the-counter kits however, do not contain enough amounts of Carbamide Peroxide, which is one of the most successful bleaching agents used in professional whitening procedures - and thus often fail to show significant results, according to many teeth whitening and dental professionals.
These days, consumers are willing to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense for the cosmetic treatment because they feel more comfortable working with a dentist, who can advise the best whitening options--from a series of bleaching procedures to laser whitening. Costs for laser teeth whitening procedures are generally more than standard teeth whitening, ranging from £700 to £1,300 in the U.K.
by Pauline Felward
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