Whitening detector
Saturday, March 28, 2015 at 10:45 One problem with appearing on television is that people are quick to comment on your appearance.
Social media has made this a whole lot worse and I sympathise with those (women especially) who are targeted for criticism about their looks.
Thankfully I've escaped the worst excesses of the Internet. The other day I was described as a "chubby twat" but I've no complaints. It could have been so much worse.
The most personal comment I've received came via a private email sent by someone in South Africa:
Just seen you on Sky. Your teeth are disgusting - don't you have or can't you afford dental care? Why do so many British people have terrible teeth? Curious that you think that its normal to walk around like that?
Far from being offended I thought "He's right!" and decided to do something about it.
The first step was registering with a dentist.
Step two was a long overdue check-up during which I suggested teeth whitening.
Step three was another appointment to begin a course of professional bleaching.
I won't bore you with the details (you can read about the process here) but according to the blurb, "Teeth whitening can’t make your teeth brilliant white, but it can lighten the existing colour by several shades."
I was dubious about my ability to stick to the daily routine but I have and after four weeks I've noticed a difference.
Unfortunately, following root canal treatment many years ago, a couple of teeth are impervious to bleaching gel. The only solution for them is veneers.
Veneers, I've discovered, cost £500 per tooth. Teeth 'whitening' has already set me back £350 so I'll give that a miss - for now.
Then again, if a plain speaking South African sees me on TV and still isn't happy, rest assured I'll be on the phone to my dentist. Again.
Reader Comments (4)
Look on the bright side, (pun, pun.) you will soon probably glow in the dark when you smile!
Yes, it is worse for women which is why women smokers, especially, are targeted by NHS abuse on personal appearance.
I would not bow down to thugs like the one in SA - unless of course the thug sends in a photo to show us all what an Aryan specimen of perfect physical perfection they are.
Before Tony Bliar privatised all but filling and pulling aspects of NHS dentistry we all used to get our teeth scraped, polished and cleaned to perfection every visit we made. Now, unless you have a huge income, such treatment is out of bounds to most people which suits the thugs in the anti-smoker industry just fine because now that can say only smokers are disgusting in "every way imaginable"
A nasty man speaks!
It doesn't matter what that idiot thinks Simon, he sounds like a spiteful zealot with an offensive mouth. Creeps like this only make personal attacks when they don't like what you stand for, that's his problem.
Like Pat said, he's welcome to show us how great his teeth are...however I must warn you...because he's full of bile and spite, his teeth will be badly stained...like a cesspit for example.
I've been lucky, when a small boy our school dentist removed one of my milk teeth, and so they grew straight and even. I've always had naturally white teeth and didn't have a filling until I was 27.
The problem with whitening teeth is that it looks artificial and in the long term can damage the tooth enamel. Also you can tell when someone has whitened teeth and anyone that hasn't...there is a translucent quality to naturally white teeth. Artificially whitened teeth look opaque.
After 46 years of smoking a pipe...I have a healthy mouth and white teeth...but...and it's a big but, you must clean every day without fail with a very soft brush in a circular motion.
Have fun!...oh...and don't forget the mouthwash!
Handsome is as handsome does.