I have never loved my teeth. My parents swear they offered me braces, but I can’t remember that conversation for the life of me. I’m guessing, if it did happen at all, it was when I was well in to my teens and had missed the boat. Getting your braces on, when everyone else is getting them off, isn’t something any teen wants to face (but if I could tell 1990s Kelly anything, it’s just do it!)
So fast forward to my grown up years, facing crooked teeth, a love of red wine, and a fear of flossing. I was every dentist’s dream, and every tooth-whitening company’s target market.
Recently, I really feel like everyone is being bombarded with teeth whitening options at the moment, particularly on Facebook. The ads range from the glowing sports mouthguard look, where the models are trying to look sexy with a mouth full of plastic, to the messy black carbon tooth scrub that “insta-models” keep posting. But like most magic bullet solutions on the internet, I approach with caution, as miracle cures tend to have catches.
I’ve also heard enough horror stories about ‘DIY home whitening kits’ that dissolve the enamel on your teeth, increase your sensitivity, and a number of other ‘side effects’. It’s not a gamble I’m willing to take.
It’s probably why I jumped at the chance to try Philips Zoom – which is a professional teeth whitening treatment used by dentists. You know, those fabulous people who studied for five years to become experts on what’s good (and terrible) for our teeth, and who are actually qualified to mess with our pearly whites.
My first experience with Philips Zoom was probably about ten years ago, when it changed my world. Since then I’ve had another session just before my wedding 2 years ago, and then recently I went to see the amazing team at Perfect Smile on Hutt Street in Adelaide for another session.
Each and every time I have LOVED the results. And best of all, as I mentioned above, it’s a process done at the dentist – so you’re in the hands of people qualified to be protecting your gums, enamel, and teeth. No dodgy DIY home whitening kits here.
So what’s involved?
Beforehand, not much. A trip to the dentist for a check-up and clean, and to see if zoom teeth whitening is appropriate, is probably the first step you need to take. Some teeth aren’t suitable, and won’t whiten evenly, so they need to take a look at your chompers to see if the process will work. During the same visit to check if my teeth were suitable, the team there made a mould of my teeth.
So once it’s all systems go, it’s just like going to the dentist.
Here’s my before shot.
Gotta love an awkward selfie
So what happens?
Firstly, the experienced Perfect Smile Hygienist isolates the teeth from the gums, lips and cheeks then the gel is safely applied to the teeth. The UV light is then positioned to activate the gel to speed up the whitening process. It is a safe, effective and comfortable process that will brighten your teeth up to eight shades. The whole process, including taking impressions to make your home maintenance kit, takes about two hours and you are free to relax while the treatment is in progress.
Here’s me ‘in progress’.
The active ingredient in whitening gel is hydrogen peroxide. This active ingredient releases oxygen into the tooth enamel to bleach out and whiten discolouration. The Philips Zoom light is then applied to speed up this process by activating the gel, which allows the hydrogen peroxide to further penetrate the surface of the tooth to create a whiter smile.
Overall it’s mildly uncomfortable as you have your mouth propped open for an hour, but WOW the results just speak for themselves. It’s a pretty incredible transformation. Considering that I’ve already had my teeth whitened twice before, I didn’t know if it would make much of a difference, but I’m over the moon with the results, and I couldn’t recommend a process more. Plus, knowing that it’s been done by professionals, I’m confident my teeth haven’t been damaged in the process. A great reason to smile!
Here’s my ‘after’ photo.
Find out more about the procedure and booking here. Philips is offering $50 cash back on Zoom in-chair whitening treatments from 1 October 2018 – 28 February 2019. Visit www.philips.com.au/zoomcashback to submit your claim.
NOTE: I was invited to try Philips Zoom professional teeth whitening at Perfect Smile on Hutt Street in Adelaide for this article, but this isn’t a paid promotion. The results, my opinion, and recommendation are genuine, and unbiased.
More News
