A Jenna’s First Time Blog Adventure
All I Wanna do is Zoom-a-Zoom-Zoom-Zoom Whitening
The Coffee Habits of the Modern Mom
If you are a modern mom in America, chances are you drink coffee…a lot of coffee – and wine. While all that bean and grape water makes momming easier, it doesn’t encourage a bright white smile. After years of coffee and red wine, my smile needed a refresh. My teeth looked tired, like they have worked hard at chewing my food for 37 years and needed a day at the spa. I couldn’t deny my teeth the hard-earned, well-deserved break. Enter Zoom Whitening.
I’ve done boatloads of at-home whitening treatments, and while they worked for an evening, the lasting results weren’t worth the discomfort of frequent white strip use. I only use a Crest White Strip when I need pain to make feel alive again.
As a person who brings photographers to many events I attend, I wanted a bigger and longer lasting impact. I had heard good reviews of Zoom Whitening, so did some research and decided it was the whitening route I was going to try.
A Brief History of Whitening
Back in 3000 B.C., toothbrushes weren’t a thing, so ancient Egyptians used ‘chew sticks’ for both brushing and whitening purposes. These small twigs helped scrape off the particles on the teeth. I’m sure for Ancient Egypt standards it worked well…?
Ancient Romans used goat urine. This worked because the ammonia in urine whitened teeth. Beautiful imagery all around – moving along.
During the 17th century, people would go to their local barber for a tooth filing. The teeth are filed, and a barber paints acid on each one. Sure, you’d get white teeth, but it also destroyed enamel and led to decay. Whomp. Whomp. Also, this is terrifying.
Fast forward to the late 1800s which saw the rise of choline as a whitening agent. I honestly could not find a ton of detail on this period but being that too much choline can cause a fishy body odor, vomiting, heavy sweating and salivation, low blood pressure, and liver damage – I imagine it did more harm than good.
Modern Times
The modern method of hydrogen peroxide started in the 1920s. Mouthwash containing ether peroxide was found to prevent cavities and whiten teeth as a side effect
By the 1940s & ‘50s, hydrogen peroxide gels were introduced to treat the vital teeth, with ether peroxide continuing to be used on back teeth. I like the slow and steady progression during this time that didn’t involve shaving and acid.
In the 1960s, custom tray bleaching was created by Dr William Klusmeier, an orthodontist from Fort Smith, Arkansas (he died in 2015, but is worth knowing). This method, which is in use today, didn’t hit in popularity until 1989 when a young and handsome doctor named Bill Dorfman, DDS, popularized the method. The tray bleaching method is ok for both hydrogen & carbamide peroxide. Carbamide is more shelf-stable than hydrogen peroxide.
What is Zoom Whitening?
Hi.
Dr. Dorfman, (handsome doctor mentioned above) developed a system that created quicker and more noticeable results using a hydrogen peroxide/LED blue light combination. In 2005 he launched a tooth whitening product company called Discus Dental. This company distributed the most powerful and effective whitening formulas on the market like Zoom! NiteWhite, and DayWhite. You can get Zoom Whitening from the man himself if you live in Los Angeles (not surprised).
What makes Zoom different from other in-office whitening treatments? It is the special activation light only available through Zoom. This high-quality LED blue light activates the gel.
My Treatment
Melissa: Lead Clinical Assistant and person who performed my Zoom Whitening Treatment. Woman in chair is not me.
From start to finish, I was in the office of Lifetime Smile for about 2 hours. First, a mold of my teeth is taken to create the take home tray. After molding, a contraption to gently pull apart my lips and cheeks gets into position. Now that those pearly yellows are out for all the world to see, a protective gumline gel is standard practice. The Clinical Assitant then isolates teeth with a white protective gel to prevent bleach from getting onto the gumline.
The gel is applied to exposed teeth and hit with the blue light for 15 minutes. They repeat this process four times for optimal results. After each round the doctor would ask if I felt any pain, and then seemed surprised that I didn’t (which also surprised me because I am a person that usually feels all the pain!).
My results were visible immediately, but my teeth also felt a little sensitive. I had mildly painful sensitivity for 24 hours. Once that abated, my teeth felt back to their pre-Zoom state.
Cost
The cost for in-office Zoom Whitening ranges from $500 -$700 and includes take home trays and gel you can use as a refresher. Results last between 12-24 months depending on continued oral care. It’s expensive, so you must want to maintain results.
Would I Recommend Zoom Whitening
100% yes. I have tiny teeth and I want them to show up when I smile – not blend in with the lighting. I feel better about my smile after this treatment and I am enjoying the continued results!
If you are a cool mom and live in Montgomery County Maryland, our Sixx Cool Moms Approved Business: Lifetime Smile, is offering $200 OFF your in-office Zoom Whitening when you mention Sixx Cool Moms.
Author: Jenna Levine Liu is the Founder & President of Sixx Cool Moms. You can find a Cool Moms chapter by you by visiting our directory.
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