Brighten up your smile

An electric brush with a two-minute timer could improve things. Sonicare Plus (£99.99 from www.sonicare.com) vibrates against the tooth at a light-pressured 31,000 brushstrokes a minute (manually we manage about 250), and offers five times as much between-teeth plaque removal as a manual brush. Another model is the Braun Oral B 3D Plaque Remover, which retails at £59.99.

Veneers
Cosmetic dentistry is often compared to a facelift, as improved teeth tend to subtly take years off your appearance. New ultra-thin veneers may be the answer if the problem is crooked, gappy and chipped teeth, or for a smile that is badly stained. The least invasive veneers are made of composite resin, which is bonded to the front of the existing tooth to create an even, white smile.

Porcelain veneers are also available, which are placed on a tooth that has been filed down, a little like a false fingernail. Some cosmetic dentists believe that glass ceramics give a more enamel-like reflection. Different cosmetic dentists have different opinions about which is better, but expect to pay £160-£750 a tooth. Veneers do mean committing to a life-long course of treatment as they will stain over time, usually at a different rate to existing enamel. Bear in mind that filing teeth down can cause tooth sensitivity, or problems if the tooth is already weak.