Cosmetic dentist Kourosh Maddahi noticed a trend among his patients in Beverly Hills, California, beginning around March: Demand for treatments, everything from teeth whitening to full smile-makeovers, was higher than pre-pandemic levels.
As more Americans get vaccinated and states ease COVID-19 restrictions, social calendars are filling once again. The resurgence has sent people clamoring for grooming products, including nail polish, dresses and perfume. It has also put special focus on a body part that has been hidden behind masks for more than a year: teeth.
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There has been a 47 percent increase in teeth whitening this year and a similar climb in teeth straightening, according to the company SmileDirectClub, which sells clear aligners, as well as teeth whitening kits.
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Why now? Maddahi said the main reason his patients have been giving is: “I’m not scared anymore.”