The Spa

"The mouth is the gateway to the body. The condition of your teeth and gums has a significant impact on your skin health and overall health," says VIP cosmetic acupuncturist, Sarah Bradden. You can trust Bradden on this one because the mouth is where she begins all of her treatments – specifically, by inspecting both the top, underside and tip of your tongue. It's a strangely intimate thing to do: poke your tongue out for someone's close inspection. "Everyone hates it," Bradden says when I grimace, holding my breath. But it's this cornerstone of her practice that has seen her team up with dental surgeon Dr Mahsa Nejati – a client who’d shared her holistic approach to oral-first health.

Nejati Clinic, the newly opened dental practice Nejati runs with her husband, aesthetic dentist Dr Brandon Nejati, is nestled in deep, leafy Belgravia. It's here that Nejati and Bradden offer the Combined Body Cleanse treatment, which aims to reduce inflammation in the body starting at the mouth; since gum inflammation and the resulting biofilm that coats our mouths can lead to a number of diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory disease, arthritis, chronic tonsillitis and diabetes.

After a dental scan with a teeny hand-held camera, where Nejati locates specific areas of bacterial growth, inflammation or bad brushing, she offers the golden goose of dental treatments: painless teeth-cleaning. This comes courtesy of the magical EMS machine. "EMS Airflow uses revolutionary technology to gently, effectively and safely remove harmful bacteria in the mouth without an instrument even touching the teeth," explains Nejati. A combination of warm water, fine powder and air gently exfoliates the teeth to clean them - it's like a facial. And as someone with a wonky flossing record who takes painkillers before seeing the hygienist, this technnique felt truly revolutionary.

Nejati then applies an antiseptic treatment using the Rosemary & Thyme herbal gel from her gentle and delectable MAHSA product line (items like charcoal toothpaste and ginger mouthwash are deadly serious and non-abrasive as well as delicious), combined with red LED therapy which, like an LED mask you might use on your face, increases circulation and speeds up cell turnover to boost gum health. Blue LED follows, in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide to remove any staining. The teeth-clean can be followed up with an immune-boosting IV drip to really boost the bad bacteria fight.

A stint in Bradden's chair follows. After she's inspected your tongue (its body colour, shape, coating and markings – "in Chinese Medicine all of these things relate to different aspects of your health," she says), she applies cosmetic acupuncture and acupressure massage to relax the jawline, ease tension and sculpt the face. More LED light therapy, this time upon the face, again stimulates collagen and elastin production; an activated oxygen mask enhances the body's repair mechanisms and leaves you feeling bright and energised. You’ll walk out feeling cleansed inside and out – and wearing Bradden's ear seeds, applied according to a unique prescription based on her tongue diagnosis (low energy? sluggish digestion?) – these tiny sticky studs stimulate acupressure joints to improve the body's energy flow and promote healing, and you can continue to trigger them yourself by pressing on them at home over the ensuing fortnight (or until they fall off).

The 90-minute Combined Body Cleansing treatment at Nejati Clinic can be booked here.