Million Dollar Smile – My ZOOM Teeth whitening experience

Now, before I get down into the nitty gritty. In the spirit of full transparency I feel I must disclose that naturally I am blessed with quite white teeth. However as time has gone on, I’ve grown older and become a lover of all things Coffee and Red wine, as a result, they just aint as white as I’d like them to be. Thus begun my research into the world of all things teeth whitening. In search of how I could correct the slight discolouration without having to compromise my lifestyle because #TeamShiraz all the way.

So when I was contacted by Phillips Zoom to give their in dentist professional whitening treatment a go, I jumped at the chance. I was introduced to the team at Vogue Dental Studios in Blackburn, who if you’ve seen their Instagram page boasts some pretty incredible smile transformation before and afters. They conduct their ZOOM whitening treatments using Hydrogen Peroxide which through research is proven to be the only whitening agent effective on human teeth. While there are many at home whitening kits readily available online containing Hydrogen Peroxide I’ve always been wary and felt more comfortable working with professionals. Having your treatment administered by a professional dentist in clinic ensures that you are whitening with the highest and safest concentration possible leaving you with better results in the shortest amount of time.

The Details of my Whitening experience at Vogue are as follows:

1.       Dr Dee first began by examining my teeth to ensure they were suitable for the treatment. While this was my third time having them whitening at Vogue this step is still important as a precaution to double check the condition and overall health of my teeth.

2.       A lip retractor was then inserted into my mouth, which is essentially just a plastic guide that moves your lips out of the way so that your dentist has full access to your teeth. Cotton is then placed inside the mouth to protect the inside of the mouth and cheeks. Which means from here on out its silent time for Sez.

3.       My Gums were protected by what is called a gingival barrier. This is applied via gel around the teeth which is then hardened with a high powered light. When dealing with higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide it’s imperative that gums are protected. I find this important to mention as I’ve had a few friends in the past choose to purchase peroxide online for at home use only to find themselves in pain with bleeding gums. This is why we leave it to the professionals folks.

4.       The Teeth bleach was then applied to my teeth.

5.       Light was then applied – DISCO TIME. You may be thinking I am referring to the use of lights, but I’m in fact referring to the crazy cool wireless headphones you get to wear for the entire treatment process. Another great little touch by the team at Vogue.

6.       After 15 minutes under the light, the bleach is removed and then followed by another application. This can occur for up to four 15 minute rounds.

7.       Bleach, lip retractor and barrier are all removed. A few quick rinses and Voilà, my new whiter and brighter smile is revealed.

The night following my treatment I stuck to foods that were ‘clear’ for example Rice, Potatoes, eggs and avoided coffee the next morning. After that I just continued on with my normal methods of eating and drinking but since receiving the treatment I have developed the quirky little habit of enjoying my coffee through a straw which always helps.
The results indicated above are my teeth most recently after just TWO rounds of Zoom whitening at Vogue Dental Studios. We opted to stop at just two as my teeth were previously whitened a few months ago and we wanted to limit the potential discomfort later on that day as I was heading to a meeting.

As this was my third zoom session (having previously undergone 2 treatments consisting of 4 rounds) I have a bit of insight into the after effects at both ends of the spectrum. My first appointment I experienced absolutely no discomfort what so ever. Despite being warned of what was to come and supplied with relief gel and sensitivity paste I felt that I must have just been one of those lucky few who just didn’t seem to feel it. But my cocky nature soon backfired as on my second visit I got to experience the sensitivity I had been warned about and found it quite uncomfortable and difficult to sleep that night. The pain while not ideal only lasts 24 hours and is a small price to pay for a great end result. I would however recommend not whitening your teeth the days before an event as you may not be well rested due to the pain.