Hollywood Smiles Influence Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures
Hollywood Smiles Influence Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures
An increasing number of young people are undergoing cosmetic dentistry to imitate Hollywood stars.Professor Jimmy Steele, of Newcastle University, has argued that younger people are more likely to invest in cosmetic dentistry as they want to achieve the perfect smile and look like their celebrity idols. Research by the Newcastle University and the University of Adelaide revealed that the younger generation is more likely to complain about oral health problems such as issues with their teeth and gums in comparison to older men and women. Professor Steele said that these complaints have been influenced by the media as youngsters are constantly exposed to celebrities with straight, white smiles that appear faultless. He said: "You only have to open some of the glossy magazines to see pictures of famous people with perfect, unblemished teeth, or features about cosmetic procedures, such as bleaching. A large number of dental practices are now offering bleaching." Increasingly image-conscious young people are more likely to have procedures such as teeth whitening which can be done in a dentist's surgery through laser whitening or at home with a customised mould that fits a person's teeth. The research also found that the number of people who would rather have teeth restored through cosmetic dentistry than removed grew by three per cent between 1988 and 1998. Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts was keen to take advantage of the benefits of cosmetic dentistry after emerging victorious from the reality show and bagging a number one album. The ex-mobile phone salesman told the Daily Mail that he wanted to undergo cosmetic dentistry because he lacked confidence in his smile due to a crack in one of his eye teeth. He told the newspaper: "I'd like to deal with the teeth because I do feel very self-conscious about them. It'd be nice to feel less self-conscious and to be able to smile with confidence. "I'm not sure about veneers but I do want to get the crown repaired. It would be nice to be able to smile naturally. I feel very self conscious about it at the moment." Athletes as well as entertainers are also likely to undergo cosmetic surgery due to potential oral injuries sustained while performing physical sports such as rugby, football or cricket. Derbyshire cricket captain Luke Sutton and Derby County defender Michael Johnson both share the same cosmetic dentist after suffering sporting injuries which damaged their smiles.