In one episode of The Simpsons, the dentist frightens his patients into brushing their teeth by showing them The Big Book of British Smiles - it's no wonder more than three quarters of us say we are not confident about smiling for the camera.

Americans joke that you can tell Brits by their teeth but with programmes like Extreme Makeover and 10 Years Younger making cosmetic dentistry sexy, is the teeth whitening trend finally catching on here? Liz Weafer opened wide and underwent nearly £600 of dental treatment all in the name of journalism.

WHEN my editor asked if I wanted a dental make-over, the absurdly white grin of Ross in Friends popped into my mind.

Despite this I reluctantly agreed because I'm vain and £575 worth of free treatment is certainly not to be sniffed at.

I have a brief chat with dentist Dean Blaby from Confident Dental Care in Stroud and he talks me through the procedure.

Confident is the only BriteSmile Centre in the south Cotswolds, and unlike traditional bleaching methods the treatment is completely safe.

The pH balanced whitening gel is harmless to enamel and gums and the patented BriteSmile light is not UV, heat or laser-activated.

Having not seen the inside of a dentist's surgery in eight years, it was quite a daunting experience and memories of my drill-bearing childhood dentist - who was appropriately enough called Dr Pain - came flooding back.

Fortunately Dean and the dental nurse Laura Ballinger are extremely gentle and considerate and have very non-threatening surnames.

Firstly, Laura carried out a shade test and I was apparently a C2, which is a lovely shade of grey white.

Next Dean, armed with his little silver dental mirror, begins inspecting my teeth. He and Laura say a few things I don't understand and I heave a huge sigh of relief when Dean says excitedly that I am the perfect candidate - clearly years of eating kilogram bars of Galaxy have had no adverse affect whatsoever.

My lips are stretched around a mouth guard, cotton wool is stuffed into my gums and the whitening begins.

A gentle bleaching gel is painted on and activated by a special, patented light developed by BriteSmile.

As I lie there on a soft cushion which Dean has placed under my head, Laura tells me to relax and catch up on some sleep. After much wriggling, Dean realises sleep is the last thing on my mind and keeps me entertained chatting and telling me what I can and can't eat for 24 hours.

Nothing coloured is allowed to pass my lips - I can eat and drink only white foods and clear liquids. The whole thing is surprisingly quick and painless, if a little uncomfortable, and so worth it when I see the end result, which I am told can last up to two years.

My teeth are brighter and whiter but they won't 'walk in the room before I do' as Dean rightly says, and as I stroll happily back to the office I grin at everything and everybody.

At lunch, which consists of vodka and tonic and white bread, I get some very complimentary comments from my friends and colleagues, who cannot believe how natural my teeth look.

* Confident Dental Care can be contacted on 01453 764287.