As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. From job interviews and dates, to networking and generally going about our daily business, it's a simple fact of life that people form opinions of each other from the moment they first meet.
That's not to say that people must always wear their Sunday best, it just means that it's sometimes important to portray the right image from the very start, especially in situations where there may not be a second or third chance for someone to get to know the 'real' you.
One of the fundamental rules of making a good first impression is to demonstrate a high level of hygiene, which includes showering regularly and wearing clean clothes. Whilst it's an added bonus if the clothes are ironed and smartly presented, at least if you smell nice, people will want to talk to you.
Similarly, teeth-brushing in the morning, followed by chewing gum or sucking mints throughout the day helps to ensure nobody is turned off by halitosis. However, even with regular brushing, teeth still have a tendency to lose their natural whiteness, with caffeine, food and life's general excesses starting to take their toll. So even those with a perfectly pleasant breath can develop a rather nasty-looking set of teeth and this can have a severe impact on confidence, both in a professional and a personal capacity.
There are a number of teeth-whitening techniques open to people, some are very simple, some not so, but it's important to match the right approach with the true scale of the problem.
Some stains may be no deeper than 'surface level'. Such superficial stains can normally be removed with decent 'whitening' toothpaste. Other stains, however, go well beyond the surface of the teeth and may be the result of a sustained attack of coffee, cigarettes and curries over a number of years. Such stains can't be removed by a special paste and will probably require a more targeted approach from a professional.
Whilst teeth-whitening isn't a complex procedure, a cosmetic dentist is the only person for the job. There are treatments available for self-administration at home, but one of the best and effective current techniques is Zoom whitening, a short 'in-clinic' procedure involving a special hydrogen peroxide gel being applied to the enamel on the teeth.
An hour should be enough to lighten teeth by up to ten shades. Afterwards, you can be sure that a bright smile will complement the effort you put in elsewhere in your appearance!