One of the first things I notice about someone is their smile -- and indirectly, their teeth. I'm very fortunate to have a pretty sweet smile; that's thanks to my parents and braces -- twice. I still have a permanent retainer on the bottom, keeping those chiclets as straight as possible. But lately, I've noticed my teeth were becoming slightly yellowed -- maybe due to age, genes or way too much coffee.
I'm not a smoker, never have been -- and while I do enjoy an occasional glass of red, I'm going to blame my teeth yellowing to my daily caffeine intake. I've tried various whitening products, toothpaste, strips, and they may work temporarily, but it's not long-lasting.
A little while ago, I was approached online by Venessa from Spray-LaV to try her LED teeth whitening services. I was intrigued, as I've asked about this type of service at my dentist, but it was very expensive, so not in the cards at the time. But today was the day!
Venessa is a Registered Dental Hygienist so I felt immediately reassured that she knew teeth. We began with a short consultation -- this is a great time to disclose if you have any sensitivities or concerns. Learn about the products and the procedure and if there are any side effects -- I have some enamel break down but learned the products used are natural and do not cause further wear on enamel.
Next, it was time to looking at shades. It's important to know that some teeth cannot achieve a pure white shade, and depending on the starting shade, you may need a couple of treatments to reach an optimal colour. My starting shade was a S16, which isn't perfectly white, but still fairly bright.
Next, it was time to finger brush with a gritty gel. It's very much like the polish at the dentist, only self-applied and without the pina colada flavouring. And then it was showtime.
Venessa applied Vitamin E to my gums and lips, as there is a chance of temporary blanching. And then it was time to whiten. With a tooth tray in and protective goggles on, I sat with the LED at my teeth for 30 minutes.
It wasn't an unpleasant experience at all. The time went by quickly, and Venessa was in the room the entire time if I needed something. You can't speak for a full 30 minutes, and even looking at your phone is challenging, but it was a good time to get a little shut-eye and let the light do the work.
After the treatment was done, there was a spit and rinse sequence followed by another round of the gritty polish. And then the reveal.
Remember: I started at an S16, and when we were done, I was an S10 -- a visible difference. The whitening will continue to work for a full day following the treatment, so it's important to keep the coffee, tea and red foods -- sauce, tomatoes, beets -- on hold for 24 hours.
As for the procedure itself, it was painless. There can be mild sensitivity during or following the treatment, but, honestly, it feels like going to the dentist. Plus, not only are my teeth whiter, but they're smoother and definitely shinier. If I want them EVEN whiter, I can repeat the treatment within a week. Otherwise, the whitening lasts between 6-12 months.
For more information on Spray-LaV and her teeth whitening, reach out to her on Instagram @spraylav. Cheers to shiny white teeth!
Disclaimer: This was a gifted experience. As always, the opinions on my blog are my own.
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