How to get a Hollywood smile: expert tips for whiter teeth

Dr Sameer Patel is the clinical director of the multi-award-winning London dental practice Elleven, where he looks after the oral ivories of the rich and famous, transforming them into carpet-ready smiling machines. Here’s how you can do the same…

1. The rule of twos

“First and foremost, if you want a Hollywood smile, you need to brush your teeth. It sounds obvious, but only half the nation actually brush their teeth the recommended twice a day, with one in 10 people forgetting to brush at all. If you’re not cleaning your teeth, you’ll naturally pick up stains. Brushing twice a day for two minutes is the first thing that will keep your teeth whiter – the rule of twos.”

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2. Fight dry mouth

“Tea, coffee and red wine are the classic usual suspects that’ll ruin your white smile, but you can fight them. From a chemical point of view, caffeine is a natural diuretic that dries out your mouth, so you won’t have enough saliva to rinse away any bacteria. This is also a big cause of bad breath. Alcohol is similar. The best thing is to do it like the Italians and drink a glass of water with your coffee or tea.”

3. Ditch the mouthwash

“Generally speaking, mouthwashes are rubbish. It’s just lazy cleaning. If you brush your teeth well enough, it’ll make no difference. It’s a psychological breath freshener and you really don’t need it. If you use anything, go for an actual dental product like Fluoriguard from Colgate – you can get it from your dentist. It’s got fluoride in it, which is really good for your teeth. Swill some after lunch for an extra hit to prevent decay.”

4. Go soft

“You can’t brush too much but you can brush too hard, which could see you rubbing away the enamel of your teeth and causing your gumline to recede. Neither of which is a good look. I always recommend a soft brush. It feels nicer and is more than enough to remove the grime and bacteria that builds up between brushing without any damaging effects.”

5. Bleeding gums

“Brushing your teeth hard won’t make your gums bleed. Gum disease will make your gums bleed, so if they’re bleeding, visit your dentist and ask to see the hygienist. It’s a myth that over-scrubbing causes this, and lots of people just ignore it when 90% of the time it’s due to gum disease and it could be a lot worse than you realise.”

6. Brush before breakfast

“Brushing your teeth after breakfast is one of the biggest mistakes people make. Always brush before to get rid of all the bacteria that’s developed overnight. If you brush afterwards, the sugars in your breakfast will have already activated the decay process and started to demineralise the teeth, which means you’re just brushing away the demineralised enamel and actually aiding decay.”

7. Get chewing

“Gum is brilliant for you. It increases saliva flow, which reduces the acids that form after eating a meal and holds back your decay rate, which is obviously beneficial for your smile. Plus, it’ll get rid of the dreaded ‘teacher’ breath you get after necking your morning coffee. People should carry chewing gum with them everywhere really…”

8. Get a blast of white

“If you want to go that extra mile, you can also look at teeth-whitening. You basically have two options – that tray system you do at home or the surgery power whitening. The best treatment is a new technology called PrevDent, which rebuilds enamel and can offer zero sensitivity. It’s essentially sealant that builds itself into broken enamel and porous surfaces, reducing sensitivity to the whitening.”

Quick tips

• If you must use mouthwash, choose one that contains fluoride, which strengthens tooth enamel
• Brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste reduces decay by up to 40%
• Tongue cleaning is clinically proven to be one of the most effective ways to kill bad breath
• Brushing only reaches three sides of your teeth. Floss once a day for a deep clean
• Electric toothbrushes oscillate so you don’t over-scrub. Oral-B Pro 650 Electric Toothbrush, ₹2,896, oral.co.uk