The luxury oral healthcare industry is currently in a stage of rapid growth. Procedures such as veneers and teeth whitening have become increasingly popular in recent years, and they continue to trend on social media.
By DOCS Education Staff
Luxury oral care is becoming increasingly popular, as indicated by the frequency with which new trends have emerged on social media in recent years. According to L’Officciel Beauty, Miley Cyrus, Emily Ratajkowski, Kaia Gerber, and Beyoncé have all published videos and images on social media in which they appear to be brushing their teeth.
Traditional toothbrushes, for example, are being replaced with revolutionary charcoal brushes, and toothpaste is being phased out in favor of novel items like toothpaste bits. Teeth whitening, for example, was originally regarded as a luxury rather than a need, however, in 2021, the market for teeth whitening was valued at $6,140.75 million, with a CAGR of 4.95 percent predicted during the forecast period (2022-2027).
The COVID-19 pandemic is partly to blame, as video chats became more popular, people became more conscious of their smiles and sought cosmetic dentistry options to improve them. In order to provide patients with desired options, dentists must keep ahead of the curve when it comes to what is currently trendy in luxury oral health care.
Latest Trends in Luxury Oral Healthcare
· Electric Toothbrushes and Whitening Toothpaste
In 2021, Spotlight Oral Care, a dental care business formed by three dentists in Ireland in 2016, raised over $12 million in development financing. Every three minutes, the company claims to sell one sonic toothbrush and two sets of teeth-whitening strips. In 2021, celebrity dentist Dr. Uchenna Okoye of London launched a toothpaste and whitening pen for on-the-go use. The mineral mica in the whitening pen adds a gleaming finish to the teeth. Kendall Jenner has been promoting the Moon teeth whitening pen, which is formally known as the Kendall Jenner Moon teeth whitening pen. Moon, in principle, provides a portable "pen" with a felt tip with hydrogen peroxide that you can use to brush your teeth for 30 seconds throughout the day. VVardis, a Swiss oral care product founded by dentists, contains toothpaste and mouthwash, as well as Aletsch, a whitening concentration that costs $150 for a seven-day course. Traditionally, the average person would not spend as much money on dental procedures, but the pandemic has caused the public to reorient their thoughts, with a renewed interest in how we care for ourselves.
· Porcelain Veneers
For many years, the only people who could afford veneers to improve their smiles were celebrities and the wealthy. Dental veneers have been around since 1928 when Hollywood studio executives ordered pioneering aesthetic dentist Charles Pincus to improve the look of actors’ teeth. Today, the growth of social media platforms such as Instagram has created extremely high beauty standards, particularly for young women. As a result, a generation of young customers has begun to seek a wide range of cosmetic procedures, including veneers.
· Blue LED Lights
In recent years, celebrity endorsers such as Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Jenner, and Connor McGregor have actively promoted at-home blue LED light items on Instagram. Popular brands like iWhite and HiSmile have marketed themselves as a low-cost alternative to in-clinic whitening procedures, with a "whitening tray" that uses a blue light, similar to those used in the dentist's chair. However, both of these solutions do not have the same whitening strength or effectiveness as in-clinic whitening trays.
· Tooth Shower
Founded by a dental hygienist, Tooth Shower focuses on the fact that people hate to floss. This patented water flossing system is made to be used in the shower by connecting to any showerhead attachment. Available for purchase on Amazon with nearly a 5-star review, consumers just need to attach the water flosser suite to their shower wall and connect it to the water supply.
· Rock on With Your Clean Teeth – Celebrity Oral Health Brand
Even famed music legend and rock artist Lenny Kravitz is jumping on the luxury oral healthcare trend. According to Kravitz, his oral healthcare brand, Twice, isn’t your typical celebrity beauty brand. Kravitz tells PEOPLE magazine that his wellness brand, co-founded alongside brothers Cody and Julian Levine – whose father is also Kravitz's dentist, is driven by the need for “greater dental hygiene in often neglected in underserved communities due to the lack of resources.”
Twice is a perfect example of how luxury beauty trends are expanding into markets that have previously been overlooked.
· Oil Pulling
Oil pulling has become a renewed rage on TikTok. Celebrities have been endorsing this trend for some time, with some medical associations calling for caution on this mouth rinsing with oil trend. Some celebrities swear by this trend and consider it a more natural and holistic approach to luxury oral care.
What is it exactly? Oil pulling involves swishing two to three teaspoons of oil in your mouth for up to 20 minutes. Some suggest that just two to three minutes is effective to reap the benefits. When finished, you simply spit out the oil, rinse your mouth with water, and clean your tongue with either a toothbrush or a tongue scraper. This isn’t “meant” to replace one’s daily oral hygiene routine, as you’ll still need to brush and floss.
What Dentists Should Do
Jacqueline Kilikita, Beauty Editor at Refinery29 is quoted stating that “Oral care is now up there with luxury beauty such as skincare, haircare and makeup.” Many dentists are realizing this trend and offering services that cater to the growing luxury and cosmetic oral healthcare market by expanding their services and making their practices feel more spa-like.
While it may seem like pop culture and social media fodder, the savvy dentist would be wise to stay on top of new and developing social media trends as the popularity of luxury oral healthcare grows. Giving patients choices (as well as professional advice) can help to improve patient care and inspire new patients to seek out your practice. In addition, dentists could also consider collaborating with other cosmetic or beauty clinics to provide their patients with a true red-carpet, luxury oral healthcare experience.
