teeth whitening - britesmile vs BEYOND WhiteSpa

[StrontiumDog]

So i called the SuperSmiles people and it's an oral hygienist who will administer the BEYOND WhiteSpa option at a special December price at 1.1k. This is kind of hard to say no to since it's half the price of even the cheaper option 3) 'DASH boost in chair method' mentioned in my earlier post.

I also came across a natural method offered by PureSmile partners. The results don't sound as hyped up but if it's a lot less harsh on the health of one's teeth then I will consider it. Just got a reply from one of the partners, below:

thanks for your enquiry about the natural teeth whitening. WOW! is proposing the only alternative to bleaching at dentists (they charge R3500 to R6000) with a product called "PURE SMILE"
It's quick : 30 min once off treatment
Painless : there's no use of hydrogen peroxide which gives sensitive teeth and gum irritation. Main ingredients are Bicarbonate of soda, aloe vera, chamomile and pomegranate
Effective : result is immediate, minimum 2 shades up to 9 shades depending on your initial shade (the more yellowish your teeth are, the more shades you gain)
Affordable : R690

You don't need an appointment, you can just walk in from monday to saturday, 9am-7pm

 

[Anony-mousse]

I had the Britesmile done not too long ago. I think it was about 80minutes total. It really worked. The difference was huge! However, it was the most pain I have ever been in in my life. The first 20 minutes were fine. But then you start feelings these incredibly painful "zaps" shooting through your teeth. Like someone is stinging them with electricity. They happen more and more often. The pain lasts for quite a few hours after the procedure. Looking back I am glad I had it done, though. My teeth are white and I have gained a lot of self confidence. But ja, it HURTS.

It obviously depends on the person as it didn't hurt me much, a zapp every now and then. After a couple of hours it was all good again. Not bad at all.

Ryan, stay away from this natural stuff, I can guarantee you it doesn't work. 2 shades is nothing, you can achieve that with any other self applied product or proper tooth paste. If you still wanna try it ask them if they have some kind of satisfaction or money back guarantee. I am in the health business myself, products that do work are mostly sold with a some kind of satisfaction guarantee, so is our product that I am importing.

Rather go for the SuperSmile then if they have such a good special

 

[StrontiumDog]

Thanks Anony-mousse. Will keep my booking at SuperSmiles for this weekend.

On the PureSmile website they had articles on why not to go the peroxide route but it really came across as fear mongering as it seems like major issues only occur when people over do it on the teeth whitening routine and can't get enough of it.

 

[Airedale]

Hi All, ryan411 thanks for the info.

Professional opinion: go have your teeth whitened by dentist. One always has to take into consideration the fact that some teeth may have crowns or fillings that wont be whitened, so it would look terrible if one tooth remains yellow while the others surrounding it are white!!
I'd go for the Opalesence home kit, as it is more affordable and you can always re-use the custom made bleaching trays in the future. If for example you want to bleach your teeth again in a few months time, you can just go buy the bleaching agent from your dentist. This is what I use and it works.

 

[StrontiumDog]

@Airedale, when you say "Professional opinion", what is your profession btw?

I actually have custom moulds/trays from when I went to a Dentist 3 years ago. So if I want, I only need the syringes filled with peroxide. Anyways, would rather get it all done in one shot. I can't remember if I have any tooth coloured fillings in my smile teeth, hopefully none or at worst one or so!

 

[Airedale]

3 years may be a bit long, so just double check with your dentist first to make sure that the fit is still ok. If the fit is ok then you should be able to buy the bleaching agent and use it as you did before.

 

[Greggle]

2) Opalescence Home bleaching – R 2000
"Opalescence home bleach is when I take moulds of your teeth and have bleaching trays made that fit your mouth snuggly.
You will then bleach them for about 2 weeks to get the final shade. This takes discipline but is very successful."

I've used and continue to use option 2. The advantage of this is that you reuse the trays and just purchase bleach refills (about R165 per syringe that last quite a long time) and then from time to time you just 'top-up' over night.
People often ask me if I have had my teeth whitened ... in fact, its a bit of a joke between my BF and I now ... he calls me the bunny!

 

[StrontiumDog]

3 years may be a bit long, so just double check with your dentist first to make sure that the fit is still ok. If the fit is ok then you should be able to buy the bleaching agent and use it as you did before.

Will do, if i try it at a later stage. What i meant though was that I don't have the patience to do a two week treatment again, hence I'll do the in-chair 1 hour treatment and get it over with

 

[StrontiumDog]

I've used and continue to use option 2. The advantage of this is that you reuse the trays and just purchase bleach refills (about R165 per syringe that last quite a long time) and then from time to time you just 'top-up' over night.
People often ask me if I have had my teeth whitened ... in fact, its a bit of a joke between my BF and I now ... he calls me the bunny!

I recall the syringes I used to get only being enough for 3 nightly treatments or so. So one would need several syringes to have noticeable results if I am not mistaken?

 

[Airedale]

Nope, the syringes should last for a very long time.
You use very little bleaching agent in a tray. So if you take 2 syringes it should actually last a few months.

 

[StrontiumDog]

ok, so i went for the BEYOND WhiteSpa procedure yesterday and I suppose I am about 4 or 5 shades lighter now, and at the end I was as close to the whitest possible. My canines are still a shade or two darker than the rest, and I may have some spots which are whiter but on the whole everything was improved by the process. I am supposed to use the take home kit tonight as a touch up. I think today my teeth are slightly darker than yesterday due to whatever I might have eaten since then (apparently some regression in shade is normal). I tried avoiding any foods that might stain but in retrospect I could have been stricter as one has to be quite strict and some pre-planning is required if you really want to consume only colour free foods. I'm supposed to avoid staining foods for 48 hours and red wine for maybe 2 weeks.

The procedure itself went smoothly (started 16h30 and ended 18h15 including pre and post briefing), and it was only in the last couple of minutes that I started getting some zapping in my one molar and a couple of my bottom front teeth. Sensitivity persisted throughout the remainder of the evening where maybe every 20 to 30 min I would get some zapping in the aforementioned teeth. It would only last a few seconds at a time.

All in all, seems to have been worth it. I'll try to limit coffee and tea etc.. in the future and keep my teeth as white as possible.

 

[reactor_sa]

ok, so i went for the procedure yesterday and I suppose I am about 4 or 5 shades lighter now, and at the end I was as close to the whitest possible. My canines are still a shade or two darker than the rest, and I may have some spots which are whiter but on the whole everything was improved by the process. I am supposed to use the take home kit tonight as a touch up. I think today my teeth are slightly darker than yesterday due to whatever I might have eaten since then (apparently some regression in shade is normal). I tried avoiding any foods that might stain but in retrospect I could have been stricter as one has to be quite strict and some pre-planning is required if you really want to consume only colour free foods. I'm supposed to avoid staining foods for 48 hours and red wine for maybe 2 weeks.

The procedure itself went smoothly (started 16h30 and ended 18h15 including pre and post briefing), and it was only in the last couple of minutes that I started getting some zapping in my one molar and a couple of my bottom front teeth. Sensitivity persisted throughout the remainder of the evening where maybe every 20 to 30 min I would get some zapping in the aforementioned teeth. It would only last a few seconds at a time.

All in all, seems to have been worth it. I'll try to limit coffee and tea etc.. in the future and keep my teeth as white as possible.

Which procedure did you go with, and what things to avoid to keep your teeth white?

 

[StrontiumDog]

Which procedure did you go with, and what things to avoid to keep your teeth white?

BEYOND WhiteSpa procedure. Well they told me to avoid anything with colour in it. If it can stain your hands then it can stain your teeth they said.

However, after the treatment for about 24 hours you want to avoid foods with colour in them. That includes tea, coffee, red wine, tomato sauces, chocolates, soy sauce, coke, anything really that is dark in colour. If you are uncertain about a food item then rather don’t eat it. It’s only for 24 hours.
There’s lots you still can eat like chicken, rice, potatoes, fish, etc so you won’t go hungry.

 

[StrontiumDog]

I just googled it and found some good explanations at http://justsmile.ca/what-can-you-eat-after-teeth-whitening/

Can i eat after teeth whitening?
The simple answer to this question is: YES you can eat after teeth whitening treatment BUT, keep in mind that for the first 24 to 48 hours you should avoid consuming foods and drinks that can release dark color pigments. WHY?
Your teeth have microscopic channels that extend from the tooth pulp (where the tooth nerve is) to the outer surface of the enamel. These channels are normally blocked with minerals which prevent sensitivity while we consume hot and cold drinks. After the whitening treatment these minerals are dissolved allowing oxygen to penetrate inside the tooth to remove stain molecules, making your teeth susceptible to sensitivity and vulnerable to stains. This is a temporary situation and it takes approximately 2 days for saliva to re-block these “enamel holes” again. In other words if you consume coffee, tobacco or red wine right after the whitening treatment, your teeth will absorb the stain released from these products at a much higher rate compared to 48 hours later.

After Teeth Whitening tips.
For the first couple of hours after teeth whitening treatment, you must consume only room temperature water (not to cold and not to hot).
Try breathing through your nose as it avoids cold air contact with your teeth.
Avoid smoking after teeth whitening. ( This might sound impossible to most smokers. If you have to smoke try to at least reducing the frequency for the first 24 hours. For example if you smoke a pack of cigarettes per day try reducing the number to 3 per day abd brush your teeth immediately and if you cant do so rinse your mouth with water)
Avoid consumption of foods listed under TO AVOID food chart. (Tip: Use a straw for coffee, tea, cola and wine and brush teeth or rinse your mouth immediately).
Use Colgate pro relief, sensodyne or any other sensitivity toothpastes for a week.
Basically anything that you consume and can potentially release dark stains, should be avoided for a period of 24-48 hours after in office teeth whitening treatment. Here is a list of products considered “safe” to consume after teeth whitening treatment.

Products To Avoid
Red Wine
Coffee
Black Tea
Coke
Juice
Brown Bread
Fruits
Artificial Dyes
Sauces
Salad Dressings
Smoking

Products To Consume
Milk
Plain Yogurt
Cheese
Water
Rice
Pasta
White Bread
Chicken
Fish
Pork
Vegetables?

edit: Obviously some vegetables stain, i.e. beet root, butternut, broccoli maybe?

I had brown bread which I shouldnt have and the chicken leftovers I ate might have had a tad bit of soy sauce. It's kind of tough to avoid certain foods when you are hungry and they are right there in front of you!

 

[reactor_sa]

Cool, thanks for looking that up

 

[StrontiumDog]

Cool, thanks for looking that up

Np. I really should have looked it up before the treatment. I had the whitest teeth coming straight out of the procedure... but now I am somewhere in between my original shade and the whitest possible. If I do this again in a year or two, then I'll be ultra strict on the eating afterwards as the eating in the 2 days following seems as critical to good results as the procedure itself.

 

[eddyr]

Zoom Teeth Whitening R6000
• 60 -90 min procedure
• professional cleaning required before whitening technique 15 min treatment
• tingling and sensitivity appears
• 45 min light treatment
• Gum tissue irritation
• Up to 8 Shades
Brite Smile R8000
• professional cleaning required
• a polish of the teeth if necessary to remove staining
• 4 x 20min bleaching procedures
• After Care: Britesmile mouthwash
• 12 moth of maintenance with either bleaching trays (to be done 1/month)
• Option of bleaching pens (to be done 1/week)
• The whole procedure takes about 2 to 2 1/2hours
• discomfort of trays and light treatment
• Gum tissue irritation
• All food and drinks with colorants to be avoided for 3 weeks.
• Average 6 Shades lighter
• High Maintenance product

Opalescence R4800
• professional cleaning required
• Custom mouth guard
• 60 min in chair treatment
• 1 Week home bleach kit
• discomfort of trays and light treatment
• Gum tissue irritation
• High Maintenance product
• Average 4 shades
Pure Smile R790
• No Active ingredient
• discomfort of trays and light treatment
• Treatment to be administer every 2nd month
• Claims up to 12 shades
White Glo Whitening Pen R100
• 6% Carbamide peroxide
• Use 2-3 a day for optimum results
• 10-30 min self administrated treatment
• Tooth sensitivity
• Gum irritation
• 2 week treatment for optimum results
White Glo Strips
• 6% Carbamide peroxide
• 30 min self administrated treatment
• Tooth sensitivity
• Gum irritation
• 7 day treatment
White Glo Whitening System R230
• 6% Carbamide peroxide
• Uncomfortable not trays
• Tooth sensitivity
• Gum irritation
• 10+ treatment
• Maintenance with White Glo toothpaste

 

[eddyr]

Liquid Smile Professional Pen R1295
• Clinical trailed and tested
• Hydrogen Peroxide Food grade
• No Harmful Carbamide peroxide
• No Clumsy trays
• No gum or teeth sensitivity
• Safe for children and pregnant woman
• 3X stronger than other paint-on whiteners that use carbamide peroxide
• Backed by research
• Results within 3 days.