Zoom/Laser Tooth whitening
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free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 5:07 am

My dentist has started to offer this and has a special offer on and I am sorely tempted - my teeth aren't that discoloured (My dentist says they are normal tooth coloured but would lift quite a few shades)but they could be whiter (too much coffee!!).
I would love a more sparkly smile - has anyone had this done - is it worth it?

Thanks Very Happy

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 6:46 am

i did not do this, but i also want to whitening my tooth! is it painful?
how much is it? Embarassed

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 1:49 pm

Hi!
Nope its not painful but apparently your teeth can be a little sensitive for 24-48hrs afterwards so they advise you to avoid very hot or very cold food in that period.
In the UK its several hundred pounds but I saw ads when I was in the USA and its seems its cheaper over there. Its the system they use on all the makeover shows on TV - it can take your teeth upto 10 shades lighter in about an hour.

Smile

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 2:32 pm

I'd really been interested in this, but when I checked into it, they said it would take a few hours (I think?) and you had to wear this thing in your mouth to keep it open and they would stuff things around your gums to protect them. Anyway, that's kinda scared me off because I pictured myself having to sit there for the hour or so with my mouth wide open wanting to gag. SO, instead, I decided to do the dentist bleaching trays and professional solution. The cost would have been $800 CDN for the Zoom whitening and the custom trays/bleach, but since I only did the trays/bleach, it was about $400. I guess when you do the Zoom, they like you to have the bleaching trays to keep up the results.

Anyway, I was TOTALLY disappointed in the bleaching trays. I used them for about 3 weeks every day and saw only a marginal difference. My teeth weren't that yellow to begin with, but they could look better a few shades whiter.

So, now, in hindsight, I REALLY wish I'd just gone for the Zoom whitening in the first place. I'm sure it wouldn't have been THAT bad with the mouth thingy in place. I guess now if I do it in the future, it will cost about $400 since I already have the trays done.

And yes, I heard your teeth can be sensitive for a little while afterwards as well.

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 2:50 pm

I haven't done Zoom at the dentist.

I did recently purchase a Zoom-like product off ebay, I just haven't gotten around to using it yet. It was recommended by a friend of mine, who did Zoom, and now does this.

The basic gist of it, from what I understand, is that Zoom has some type of whitening ingredient in it. I don't recall what it is off the top of my head. But if you search for Zoom teeth on ebay, the other product will show up. It's the same exact substance. But without the Zoom logo, it costs like $1 for each "syringe" of the stuff, which I believe lasts for several applications. (The shipping is about $8, though, so it makes sense to stock up). The tooth trays that you buy from Zoom are the very nice, custom ones, but those boil and bite trays work just fine as well, and are dirt cheap on ebay.

In terms of the light, which is what your initial question is about - as far as I know, it is a simple ultraviolet light. Again, they sell these on ebay. You can buy whole kits, with the lights, bleach, and trays for around $25. Obviously, the lights aren't as nice as the ones at the dentist. You aren't in a chair with a light shaped like your mouth. It's typically just a little handheld light. But it's the same thing. Simply not as fancy. I even saw a little ultraviolet light kit at the drugstore the other day, shaped like your mouth, but in tiny handheld form.

Again, I haven't done it yet (I just bought more baking soda yesterday, so I could brush my teeth and do it, so hopefully I'll have more to say soon enough). So I can't give any personal results. But my friend says it works just as well as the treatments she used to get at the dentist.

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 3:08 pm

Ch79 wrote:

I did recently purchase a Zoom-like product off ebay, I just haven't gotten around to using it yet. It was recommended by a friend of mine, who did Zoom, and now does this.

I think I'd seen an infomercial for something like this ... I was tempted, but then I searched reviews and some were good, but more weren't as happy. But if your friend who has done Zoom, does this as well to upkeep, then they must be seeing results.

I wish I could remember the product I'm thinking about because I don't know if it's the same or something slightly different than what you're describing.

free skin care · Sun May 27, 2007 4:06 pm

No, it's different from those infomercial type products. It's just the gel, like zoom. I was simply saying that the other accessories type stuff is available on ebay as well, often from the same seller.

I checked my ebay listings to see what it is.
The whitening agent is carbamide peroxide. Zoom uses hydrogen peroxide. But they both work identically.
This link does an excellent job of explaining the different tooth whitening ingredients, and how hydrogen and carbamide work the same:
http://www.archwired.com/tooth_whitening.htm

The Zoom kits for home tend to be 6% hydrogen peroxide, which works out to about 20% carbamide peroxide. The ones sold on ebay are typically 22% or 35%.

But I just checked, and the seller I purchased from doesn't have anything listed right now. I don't know if that is just temporary, or if he's quit selling them. The other listings for carbamide peroxide are more expensive. Not terribly expensive, but definitely more than $1.
Here's the type of auction I bought from, in case the seller ever comes back:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250069563108

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