How much, approximately, do you suspect you’ve spent on skincare in the last year? £300? £2,000? And then muse, for a second on what you’ve spent on your teeth – bar a monthly tube of toothpaste – in the same time? 

It’s a peculiar thing. For some reason, British women don’t find themselves innately investing in their teeth with as much voracity as they would a Louis Vuitton bag or a pot of Crème de la Mer. Despite of course, a person’s smile being one of the first things you instinctively notice (and make tiny little subliminal judgements on – course you do, its nature). 

And it’s from the perspective of skincare – and the Dr Joe Oliver’s dentist’s chair at Marlyebone’s Welbeck Clinic – that comes a new forward-thinking range of teeth care named Dr Oliver White Smile.  It’s a fervent reminder to treat our teeth as we would our skin – so that means a daily ritual of cleansing and care, regular facials (trips to the hygienist, you know you’re due one. I certainly am) and just a bit of a shift in attitudes.

The jewels in the crown? Rather thrillingly, Dr Oliver has formulated his own version of those whitening strips that we all buy in New York over fashion week by the truckload. Only these aren’t as fiddly as strips, they’re Whitening Wands, £45, the size of a pen. ‘You twist it and apply the gel to the surface of the teeth and leave it for half an hour without eating or drinking – say, on the way to work – and repeat on the way home,’ explains Dr Oliver. ‘It can take your teeth 5 or 6 shades lighter in a matter of weeks.’

That is, without the associated visceral fear of having to wear gum trays or undergo painful hardcore whitening at the dentists. The real light bulb moment of the home care line is the Gum Serum, £30. Think of the rate in which we all slather on skin serum, to help lock in moisture and seal in skin-saving ingredients on a daily basis. Well, our gums need a bit of attention too. 

‘It contains Hyaluronic acid which adds moisture and plumps the gums up as well as Vitamin B3 which is a vaso-dilator, therefore it increases the blood supply to the gums to nourish and combat infection,’ says Dr Oliver. ‘It also creates what is called a Niacin flush which actually makes the gums look pinker. Pink gums are associated with beauty, youth and health. Plus, when you have a strong contrast between the colour of the teeth and the gums, it makes them appear whiter.’ Sold.