I once didn’t get a job because I wore red lipstick. Seriously. I was in my early twenties, it was for a receptionist role at a posh dental clinic. I thought seeing how red lipstick is meant to make teeth look whiter, I would be a shoe-in. In their minds it was less shoe-in, more brazen strumpet. (The rest of my makeup was minimal – I didn’t turn up looking like I’d been touting for custom on the streets of Marseille…)

In an interesting twist of fate, I recently attended a launch held by the founders of that same dental clinic: Swiss dentists and sisters Golnar and Haleh Abivardi, who seemed absolutely lovely and I’m sure had no involvement in said job interview, (aka “rouge-gate”) over a decade before. It was for a launch of their new luxury dental range — yes, you heard right. Oralcare is getting a shiny new makeover, becoming just as chic and desirable as skincare. And it’s about time too.

Honestly – who doesn’t want to invest in a good set of gnashers? Following the so-called “zoom boom” in 2020, with many of us scrutinising our own smiles on video calls, demand for decent oral care is on the rise. Retailer Cult Beauty saw a 72 percent uptick in sales of oral care products and brands are rising to meet this demand: think luxury toothpastes with natural ingredients, swanky tooth serums and posh mouthwash.

Waterless toothpaste is another new trend that isn’t just better for your teeth but the planet too (no plastic packaging required). Amaku’s “toothpaste tablets” (£12.50 for a month’s supply) were created after the founder researched tooth powder products and found them to be more effective than traditional paste. Each tablet contains natural minerals and Nano-hydroxyapatite, a Japanese substitute to the more commonly used fluoride. It strengthens teeth and prevents decay, with citrus and peppermint oil to provide that fresh “toothpastey” feeling. Just pop a tablet in your mouth, bite down to crush it and brush with a wet toothbrush so it can work its magic on those molars.

But back to the Abivardi sisters … their new collection is vVardis, developed as a less-harsh alternative to the many artificial teeth whiteners on the market, it includes a tooth serum which looks like a tiny pot of nail varnish. You paint your teeth with it after brushing and — the things we do for beauty — bare your teeth for 10 seconds to allow it to dry. At £118 it’s pretty steep, but ultimately cheaper than professional whitening treatments (the founders claim it’s the “first whitener that’s actually good for your teeth”). Its secret ingredient is a patented WX Formula to strengthen tooth enamel and repair early decay, with natural mineral crystals to make your pearly whites shine like new pennies. Am currently road-testing for a week and will report my findings. Hopefully my smile will have some extra wattage — no killer rouge required.

Viola Levy has been a freelance beauty journalist for more than ten years, being inspired to make it her chosen career after being told: “No-one’s going to pay you to write about makeup.” In 2019 she won the Fragrance Foundation Jasmine Award for Best Short Piece, reporting on how urban life is damaging our sense of smell