Easily the best Valentine’s Day gift I ever gave James was an appointment to get his teeth professionally whitened. As someone who did not take care of his teeth in his teens and has coffee stains deeper than the Mariana Trench, one visit to Dr. Veytsman’s office and she was able to take his smile 3-4 shades whiter in a mere hour. Being self conscious about your teeth is pretty much the worst and in the case of stains is highly correctable. As a top New York City dentist, Dr. Veytsman understands the importance of a white, bright smile. She was a delight to be in the room with and offers the most advanced whitening options to banish stains and yellowing. I had the best time watching James’ teeth-over. Here’s everything you need to know about the in office process:
1. The Teeth Whitening Procedure
The whole process takes 45 minutes to an hour.
First a mouthguard is applied to open your mouth and protect your lips and Liquidam barrier gel is spread over gums to protect them from the Zoom teeth whitening agent.
Once the Liquidam is added the blue light is applied to cure it and harden the material so your gums are fully protected. From there the the Zoom teeth whitening solution is applied directly on to teeth and then the blue light is back on for about a half hour with stops every 10-15 minutes to apply moisture and more whitening gel to teeth.
Teeth sensitivity may occur at this stage.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Keep in mind nothing in injected and everything is applied topically.
2. What’s the difference between the different in-office whitening treatments and how it works:
According to Dr. Veytsman the solutions on the market are all fairly similar with hydrogen peroxide being the active ingredient. What the procedure does is oxidize the stains off by drawing moisture out of the teeth.
3. How often should you have the procedure done:
Every 1 – 1.5 years or as you see fit. Whitening procedures do not take the place of a teeth cleaning. Products like Crest Whitening strips can help prolong the effects.
4. What’s the optimal result:
The average is 4 shades whiter all depending on the starting point. This procedure does work on fake teeth to whiten them back to their original color (they will not get whiter then the color they were).
5. What are the side effects:
1 in 10 people feel light to severe teeth sensitivity for 24 – 48 hours. James’ started almost instantly and lasted about 16 hours. This happens because whitening dehydrates teeth and pulls the water out. Taking Advil can help.
6. Post procedure MUSTS:
All clear and white diet for 24 hours. No smoking (preferably ever).
To avoid staining and reversing the effects everything you ingest for 24 hours needs to be clear and white: The following are all approved: Cheesecake, white pasta, white rice, vodka, mash potatoes, white fish/seafood, clear soups… No blue or colored mouthwash or toothpaste. White or bust.
Dr. Veytsman of Cosmetic Dentist is located in Midtown East, at 595 Madison Avenue at 57th Street in NYC. Learn more at veytsmandds.com