I’m big on oral health and looking after my teeth. I brush twice a day, floss every evening and include a good mouthwash into my routine.
However, I also LOVE black coffee, black tea, red wine and all those delicious meals (like curry) that tend to stain the teeth. Did I mention I occasionally (ok, sometime more often than occasionally) light up too?
What’s a girl to do to keep those pearly white sparkling?
A Philips Zoom Professional Whitening treatment, that’s what!
The Philips Zoom Professional Teeth Whitening treatment is a completely safe, pain free procedure that’s only performed by a dental professional.
I popped into the very swish Optismile Dental Centre in Sea Point to have the treatment done. And can I just say, this has to be the most incredible dental practice I’ve ever been to!
The Optismile Dental Centre is the brainchild of primary dentist Clifford Yudelman. He had a vision of a center of dentists in Cape Town, with world class tools & surgery spaces at their disposal to provide the next level in dental care in a breath-taking, state-of-the-art setting.
Optismile offers a range of dental cosmetic, general, prosthetic & pediatric solutions.
I was lucky enough to have my Philips Zoom Professional Whitening treatment done by Cape Town’s very best oral hygienist, the lovely Emma King – AKA “The Tooth Fairy”.
Emma knows my teeth (I’ve seen her many times before for cleaning) and because I grind, she explained that I have a few hairline cracks that could cause sensitivity. To counteract this, she carefully applied a special block-out material to cover my gums and any worn-down sections on my teeth, including these hairline cracks.
Next, Emma applied the whitening gel, which is completely safe for the teeth. The gel contains amorphous calcium phosphate, potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride which demineralize and de-sensitize the teeth during the whitening process.
The gel works in conjunction with the Philips Zoom Whitespeed LED light. This advanced technology LED light, when combined with 25% hydrogen peroxide gel, can whiten your teeth by up to eight shades!
I had 4 x15-minute treatments over the space of 3 weeks. You could also have this procedure done in one go (45 minutes in chair), but you may run the risk of sensitivity, so chat to your dental professional first. Emma never does more than 2 x15 minutes sessions at any one appointment. A full Zoom in chair bleaching would consist of 4 x15 minute sessions in the chair, and a minimum of 2 weeks of home bleaching using customized trays.
I also received a home-care kit containing the customized trays (Emma custom made these to fit) and syringes filled with a 9.5% Hydrogen peroxide gel that’s placed in the trays & worn for 30 minutes daily while undergoing the treatment.
Once I’d finished with the 4 x15 minute in-chair treatments, I’ll continue using the home kit, but just as maintenance program once a month for either 15 or 30 minutes.
After my in-chair treatments, I was advised to avoid eating or drinking foods with colour (anything that can stain teeth) for 24 hours. For my home whitening, the time was just 1 hour, so I ensured I did these treatments just before bed.
What’s the cost?
Expect to pay anything from R3000.00 – R7000.00.
Emma offers a free 20-minute consultation prior to any whitening treatment. During this consultation, she looks at the type of staining, sensitivity/wear issues, and the general condition of the teeth and gums. She also discusses the client’s budget and what their bleaching expectations are, while customizing a package to suit them. For those that aren’t so good with their home maintenance, an in chair touch up of just 15 minutes can be done after any of your 6 monthly oral hygiene visits. Emma advises to do this at every 2nd or 3rd 6 monthly visits.
The results
After my first two 15 minute in-chair treatments I could already see a huge difference.
By my second in chair appointment my teeth were even brighten as I had been doing a week of daily home whitening.
After my final in-chair whitening treatment, my teeth were dazzling white.
The Philips Zoom Endless Whitening Programme
Philips Zoom Endless Whitening Programme is offered by selected dentists only.
Essentially, this is an agreement between you and your dental professional to improve your long-term oral health. Once you’ve done your in-chair Zoom whitening procedure, you are required to visit your dentist at least every 6 months for your oral and dental checkup. For your commitment, you’ll receive a free Philips Zoom DayWhite or NiteWhite teeth whitening syringe for life to keep your smile bright.
Learn more about the Philips Zoom treatment HERE or to find your closest dental professional, visit: www.zoomwhitening.co.za/find-a-dentist