PATIENT COMMENTS ON PRODUCTS OTHER
THAN DAZZLING SMILES™

Bleachbright SUCKS. I had it done at a my local mall and the lady didn't know anything. I asked to keep my mouthpiece and she didn't let me, she said they RE-USE them! GROSS. She said they sterilize the mouthpiece but given the cleanliness of the booth I doubt it. It was also the worst looking "kiosk" in the mall, wasn't a kiosk at all, just a few chairs in a circle. Can't believe they let them in the mall.
Posted by: Frank - 03/09/2008

I'm actually searching online for anything to help ease the pain and came across your website. I had the Zoom whitening done this afternoon and I keep getting these "zings" of pain in my teeth. I complained to my family today but they dont understand the sharp pain.
Wish I would've found this page earlier ! Glad to know its not just me!
Posted by: Tia | January 17, 2007 7:56 PM


I also recently had the Zoom treatment and experienced the same shooting pain in my teeth afterwards. The pain became even more intense after using the at home treatment. This pain lasted for days even though I used a prescription strength toothpaste for sensitive teeth. I am now using a de-sensitizer tray at night which has relieved the pain.
Posted by: Judy | January 25, 2007 6:02 PM


I had the Zoom whitening 3hrs ago and I am experiencing the painful zings. My dentist didn't warn me of the potential pain until the procedure started. The first "zing" happened during the third 15min. application and it has not stopped. In addition, I have also developed a terrible headache and can only lie down. I used doctor supervised bleaching trays 7yrs ago and achieved whitening without pain. I would not undergo the zoom process again. I wish that I had found this website first.
Posted by: In Pain | February 9, 2007 11:46 AM

Ouch! I just got home from having the ZOOM tooth whitening process done, and am also experiencing those sharp pains! My dentist, like many of yours, also didn't warn me about it until it was over. During the last 15 minutes I started to get shooting pain in one area of my mouth, and it hasn't stopped since. I took Ibuprofen before I went, and have taken it again since getting home (even though it hasn't been 6 hrs!), with no relief. I have Biotene toothpaste for sensitive teeth, and am tempted to try it, I'm just afraid to put anything in my mouth now! I have a high pain tolerance, but this is too much! I would NEVER recommend this to anyone.
Posted by: Crystal Byrd | February 9, 2007 12:07 PM

I just had the Zoom treatment this morning and have been in agony the entire day. I would have NEVER gotten this treatment if someone had disclosed this possible side effect. The disclosures said something about mild pain but nothing about being almost unable to function. This goes away, I hope????
Posted by: liz | February 12, 2007 3:12 PM

I had the Zoom done at 2:00 and it's 6:30 now and the pain is really UNBEARABLE. I'm afraid to talk or open my mouth or even take the codine the dentist prescribed me afterwards. The hygenist said that I might be a little sensitive to cold but NEVER said that this could happen. If I had read this before my procedure, I wouldn't have done it and I'll never do it again - the pain actually makes me tear up and freeze in pain. I wonder if I can get a novicane shot tomorrow if this doesn't go away?
Posted by: Meghan | February 13, 2007 5:43 PM

I got the Zoom Treatment yesterday and on the 2nd rounds, I started getting the "Shocking Extreme Pains." It felt like my nerves were being hit and my whole body shook! It lasted the rest of the day. I was in so much pain! I would have never gotten the procedure done had I known this. This was a pain like no other. I have extremely sensitive teeth and I feel that someone should have warned me of this. Today, the pain is gone in my teeth, but my gums are so raw and they were burnt with bleach! I can't eat and this is a different pain! I would not recommend this if you have sensitive teeth and gums already! I wish that I would have found this website prior to my appointment. I am healing and my teeth are whiter, but the pain that I experienced in the first day was not worth it!
Posted by: Gina | February 13, 2007 6:04 PM

Please don't waste your money with this procedure. It hurts so much, I can't eat or talk, my teeth are so so sensitive. I can't open my mouth at all because if external air touch them, it will make me cry as hell. I can't believe people have to go through all this to get their teeth withened!!! The pain is ridiculous. Don't do it please.
Posted by: MOnica | February 14, 2007 4:58 PM

can you please give me suggestions of what to eat now? i had those acute, shooting pains all night. it was weird b/c i had it done at 1 p.m. and was out of the office at 2:30 p.m. my dentist said i was the easiest and fastest patient he has ever whitened. i did have zinging pains during the end of the 2nd treatment and through out the 3rd treatment. i thought, no pain...no gain. well, i went to work and was OK. around 7 p.m. when i left i had throbbing, acute, random shots of pain in my front teeth, and walked home in below zero weather. i took four more ibuprofen and my fiance stummbled upon your blog. my dentist told me afterwards about the zings of pain, but told me before about sensitivity. i just don't know what i can eat now? i eventually ended up taking some vicodin and it finally knocked me out so i could sleep. my fiance has an appt. on tues. he's petrified as i was in so much pain. i guess it was worth it b/c now nearly 24 hrs later i have only sensitivity. however, i'm afraid to eat anything b/c i don't want to ruin the awesome results. i look like i have chicklets so hopefully it'll tone down a little bit.
any suggestions as to what i can eat besides highly pigmented foods would be great.
Posted by: kristy | February 17, 2007 10:37 AM

I just had the Zoom procedure and spent the entire ride home in tears. I have never experienced pain like this. I too cannot talk or open my mouth for fear of this intense pain. No one at the dentist office told me about this pain, and had I known how bad it would have been I would have walked out. This product should be taken off the market!!! I have undergone other cosmetic procedures, and nothing has ever hurt this bad. Don't do it!!!
Posted by: Jo | February 17, 2007 11:11 AM

Have just had the ZOOM and I too have been getting the ZINGS... the whole point of the ZOOM as suggested by my dentist was that it supposed to be cutting edge and better than older in-office bleach treatments precisely for those with tooth sensitivity... But the zings started on my drive home -- it feels like sudden extreme heat on several teeth -- then goes away pretty quickly... But between the extreme nature of the pain and the total randomness on when it shoots -- the anticipation of the next zing even is stressing me out!... I've been told by the dental office to try applying some Sensodyne... Overall, I have to agree with those who question whether this treatment is worth it for anyone who has even mldly sensitive teeth -- and more importantly why is this side effect not more throughly discussed and acknowledged BEFORE the treatment.
Posted by: Peter | February 20, 2007 2:43 PM

Ow I'm in pain and have been for the last 10 days. I'm using a slightly different technique for the whitening procedure but the principal of zoom whitening is being used.
I am using enlighten smile which is a home kit using hydrogen peroxide trays for 14 nights followed by a one off procedure at the dentist using the laser light with a more concentrated hydrogen peroxide.
I too am experiencing EXTREME pain from sensitivity and this is only from using the trays. I am extremely concerned about my appointment for the intense treatment at the dentist using the laser following the comments. I am not entirely sure it is worth this agony to be honest, I have been taking tablets to combat the pain and using the swabs which come with the kit but, Oh my gosh NEVER ever again!!!! The pain is intense!
Posted by: Vannessa Shutt | February 21, 2007 2:43 AM

I had ZOOM done today.
im 16 and i guess my teeth are somewhat sensitive. To be honest i made sure to ask about sensitivity after the procedure. They said id only had some slight discomfort.
Cool. Not even close.
Certain pains i can handle, while some i cant. Maybe its just me. But while in the car the pain started getting worse. Getting the "zing" feeling every 5 seconds. id taken 2 advils which did nothing.
Hours later. now. Im in constant intense pain from the "zings". I took a vikiden which has done absolutly nothing. I dont cry often at all, and this has definatly gotten me weeping in pain.
If i had known it would be like this i wouldnt have done it. This is so incredibly horrible. My pain tolerance isnt high, but it isnt low either. I can tell the difference from normal pain and intense pain. this is intense.
this sucks. haha god
Posted by: Jordan | February 21, 2007 7:28 PM

Dear Rebecca:
To say my Zoom whitening experience was less than satisfactory would be putting it mildly. I expected some discomfort with tooth sensitivity but did not expect to suffer blisters, sores and swelling on my inside bottom lip. The pain was at times unbearable. It hurt to eat or smile and took well over a week for the discomfort to subside. I was burned literally and figuratively. The miniscule amount of vitamin E gel they send you home with is insufficient to deal with burns of that magnitude.
Nobody in their right mind would undergo this treatment if the possibility of blisters, open wounds and sores was made known in advance as a ‘normal’ part of the procedure. I also checked the Women’s Health Support Forum where there are multiple incidences of open sores and serious blistering of the lip reported after the Zoom procedure. Zoom obviously still has some kinks to work out because customers shouldn’t experience burning that result in open sores and blisters. This is dangerous and totally unacceptable.
Moreover, I question the ethics and integrity of the parent company that runs and owns Zoom. Because I was in such agony, I called the Zoom customer hotline on a Saturday. (I had the procedure on a Thursday, February 22.) I was told by Zoom to contact my local Better Business Bureau. When I asked them who owned Zoom, I was told they couldn't give me that information. Do they have something to hide? I did research on the Internet until I found Discus Dental. In a subsequent conversation with the hygienist who performed the procedure, she alluded to an unsatisfactory response the first time she called the Zoom dentist hotline. She, of course, was concerned about my blisters.
I followed up with a call to Discus Dental the following Monday and spoke with a customer service rep there. I recounted my conversation with Zoom customer service and he said he would speak with them. He, of course, was more sympathetic but I’ve never gotten any follow up call, so I have no idea if he even spoke with them. A good customer service system would follow up with the customer or complainant. All in all, I am left with a very bad impression of their operation. I suspect they’ll play the blame game and blame the individual dentists rather than acknowledge any lack of proper training, deficiency with their product or support to the people who use their product.
Disappointingly, I can’t even say the pain was worth it because the color of my teeth has reverted to what it was originally. I followed post-procedure instructions diligently. Due to the blisters and pain, I didn’t eat as much for an entire week and drank liquids using a straw, thereby avoiding contact with tooth enamel. The initial results, which showed a noticeable improvement, seem to have faded.
I would never recommend Zoom to anyone.
Kerstin
Posted by: Kerstin | March 8, 2007 7:51 AM

Hi Everyone, I had the ZOOM treatment done today. Procedure started at 1:30 and ended at 2:45. She did 1-10 minute session then 2-15 minute sessions. I had no sharp sudden pains during any of those sessions. The initial results look great! Not sure how they will be tomorrow or the weeks to come?? Hopefully I'll be satisfied. When I returned home at about 3:30 I was starved as I cooked my meal HERE CAME THE DREADFUL SHARP PAINS! ALL I CAN SAY IS OUCH!OUCH! It's now 7:15pm and I've probably had about 10 since they started. I'm sure there's more to come. I also used the sensodyne, didn't help. I just resorted to a vicodin and warm pajamas for comfort. Not sure if I'd do it again?? I'm just glad I chose a friday to have it done and not beginning or mid week. I almost forgot, I did have my lip burnt. I was really puffy when I left the office. It's gone down since. I also had laser hair removel this week and I never thought that would hurt like it did either. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment! I wish everyone who decides to do this "Good Luck". I'm getting my warm blanket and hoping to fall asleep soon....
Posted by: Teresa | March 9, 2007 7:39 PM

Hi, I just had the Zoom Whitening procedure done this afternoon. I must tell you that the result was amazing. But the painful shooting pain still lingers. I tried taking another Motrin to ease the pain but it didn't help at all. Now, I can't stop salivating. My upper lip swelled up a bit, too. I am hoping that by tomorrow, the pain will subside. I really can't bear the pain anymore and I wasn't able to eat either. I like the result but I am pretty sure that I am not coming back for another treatment.
Posted by: jane | March 10, 2007 2:57 AM

This morning at 9:00 AM I got my zoom treatment. Within my third procedure I had severe pain so the dentist gave me something to make the pain go away which actually made the pain even more severe. Well its not 3:00 PM and my teeth are in even more pain. When I say pain im not talking about slamming your finger in a door. Im talking about someone drilling into a cavity. On top of that my teeth are not that much whiter. I do not recommend throwing $500 down the drain.
Posted by: Heather | March 14, 2007 11:55 AM

I just had Zoom done this morning and I'm in agony. I've even gone so far as to take a RX pain reliever with no relief. If I had known then what I know now, I would never have done it. Can anyone suggest anything I can do to make this go away??? Thanks. Anne
Posted by: Anne | March 15, 2007 5:32 PM

TWO FULL DAYS OF AGONIZING PAIN, I WOULDN'T RECOMEND THIS TO MY WORST ENEMY, THE BLEACH SOAKED THROUGH THE GAUZE ON THE LAST 15 MINUTE PROCEDURE AND BURNT ALL OF MY BOTTOM GUMS. IF YOUR GOING TO DO THIS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS WHAT THE HELL THEY'RE DOING. SOME OF THESE GUYS LET ANY IDIOT DO THE PROCEDURE. PAIN PAIN PAIN!!!!!!!!! SHOOTING PAIN!!!FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS RIPPING MY TEETH OUT WITH PLYERS!!!10 VICODIN AND A BOTTLE OF ADVIL WILL DO THE TRICK.
Posted by: Luke | March 15, 2007 7:25 PM

OMG!!!!!PAIN PAIN PAIN!!! I WENT THROUGH A BOTTLE OF ADVIL THREE AT A TIME. THAT DESENSITIZING CRAP DOESNT WORK. RIGHT WHEN THE ADVIL WEARS OFF, THE SHOOTING PAIN COMES BACK THREE FOLD. IF YOUR GONNA DO THIS GO TO "BRIGHT SMILE" WHERE THEY SOLEY SPECIALIZE IN THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT. THESE DENTISTS LET ANY SHMO DO THIS ZOOM TREATMENT. IT LITERALLY FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME IN THE FACE WITH A BAT THEN TRIED DROWNING ME IN ALCHOHOL!
Posted by: JON | March 15, 2007 7:52 PM

3AM...40 hours after my treatment.....still agonizing pain. The tooth sensitivity is nothing to put up with. Its the MISSISSIPPI burning gums that is worse than getting all 4 wisdom teeth out without getting knocked out or novacaine with household plyers. hot liquids seem to be helping, (screw what they say about the coffee and tea..DRINK IT, it's soothing) morphine drip, vicodin and a side of advil might work out fine. STAY ON TOP OF THE MEDICATION, when it wears out it's like someone's pounding on your face with a real deal commercial meat pounder. I FEEL LIKE A REAL SUCKER. If i'm not better by morning, Dr. Dentist is getting ALL his tires slashed nice n early monday morning.
Posted by: Luke | March 16, 2007 12:06 AM

I am an athlete and I am used to intense pain and injuries and I can assure you that the pain I experienced through the Zoom tooth whitening is the worst I have experienced. It only lasts for about 2 seconds at a time, but they are the most intense 2 seconds you will ever remember. Your body contracts in shock and it is uncontrollable. I was scared to death because I had to drive home and this pain came in about 5 times in teh 10 minute drive home from the dentist. I had to take over 10 "very strong" painkillers during the day in which I could do nothing but lay down and hope it went away. The day after I was groggy because of the painkillers and I also wasted it. If I had known about this I would have never done it (even if the resutls are good). My dentist did not make me aware of the situation and I believe this is malpractice. He only told me I would experience "some" sensitivity. Comapring the pain I suffered to "some sensitivity" is like comparing a tap with Niagara Falls... If in doubt DON'T DO IT.
Posted by: Ryan Hunter | March 17, 2007 10:31 PM

I just had ZOOM done today and was searching the web about the pain afterwards. Glad I'm not alone. I thought something was wrong with my teeth. I hope it doesn't last long! YIKES! Some of the zings leave me hanging by my nails from the ceiling! I will try the toothpaste and other stuff to lessen the pain! Thanks all!
Posted by: Jennifer B. | March 20, 2007 2:36 PM

I got the Zoom procedure done exactly a week ago. I experienced the "zings" allll day afterwards and for a little while the next day. it was so horrible that my entire body would shake. it went away.... but my teeth are still really sensitive. i'm really scared now that it'll last forever.
i had some pretty bad tetracycline stains and they got way lighter.... my teeth look great. it just hurts to smile so no one's even noticed. :\
Posted by: Kami | March 20, 2007 6:45 PM

I have Zoom remorse too! I had just started my 3rd treatment when ZING, a sharp pain rang through 2 of my teeth. We stopped the treatment. I was told about the sensitivity but not the sharp pain. My teeth are sensitive to begin with, so I should have known better. I'm home now 2 hours past the treatment and the pain is brutal. It's off and on every 1 to 2 minutes. Mostly in my lower teeth thankfully. I will update you tomorrow. If you are looking in to Zoom, make sure to inform yourself with everything there is to know about.
Posted by: Paul in Denver | March 21, 2007 9:12 AM

I had my zoom done today at about 12:00. I had 3 20 minute sessions. I was going to do 4, but after the third one I told them no. I could not take lying there anymore in that chair. I had a few quick sharp zings, but that was all. I walked out loving how white my teeth were. Within an hour and a half, I was in agony. I called the dentist and she called in tylenol 3 with codeine. That is barely taking the edge off and its now 8:00. I've already taken more than the prescibed dosage. I've just taken my 3rd one and its only been 3 1/2 hours since my first pill. This really hurts. I hope that it gets better soon. i don't know how i will brush my teeth tonight and floss. I went through the treatment fine. My dentist had me do flouride treatments every night for the past two weeks with my custom trays. I wore them all night. Thats probably why I was able to take the treatment. I could never have imagined the pain afterwards though. I am almost glad that I didn't find this site before. I probably would not have done this treatment. But, now since I did I have white teeth. I gave this to myself as a gift for going almost two years of not smoking. I can only hope that this pain goes away soon.
Posted by: stephanie | March 21, 2007 6:11 PM

I had Zoom done yesterday at 4:00 PM. It is now 1:36 am and I awoke from sleeping in horrible pain. My teeth are throbbing and I cant sleep. I am really ticked off that NO ONE in the dental office mentioned this type of pain to me! This is unreal. Not to mention that I cant smoke or drink coffee as well. It would have been NICE for them to let me know all of these things BEFORE I did the Zoom!!!! I have to spend the next few days in agony AND withdrawals from coffee and cigarettes cold turkey. I cant believe that some of you on here actually got pain killers prescribed to you for after the Zoom! Holy crap. That says it all. I am going to go wolf down some advil and HOPE to God that this pain subsides soon. I will NEVER do this again. Stick with the trays people.
Posted by: cindy | March 21, 2007 10:41 PM

This really hurts... it is the worst tooth pain I have every experienced.
I would NOT do it again!!!
Posted by: Skipper | March 22, 2007 4:12 PM

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE ZOOM WHITENING WAS THE WORST THING I COULD HAVE EVER DONE. I,M SUFFERING IN SO MUCH PAIN I HAD LESS PAIN IN CHILD BIRTH. ANYONE THAT IS THINKING OF DOING PLEASE DO NOT DO IT, THEY SHOULD OUT LAW THIS PROCEDURE, THIS PROCEDURE SHOULD BE ONLY ADMINISTERED BY LICENSED PROFESSIONAL AND NOT A HYGENIST THAT ATTENDS A TRAINING COURSE, IF I HAD READ THIS SITE BEFORE I MADE AN APPOINTMENT THAT MY HYGENIST HIGHLY RECCOMMEND TO BE TOTALLY SAFE I WOULD HAVE CANCELLED MY APPOINTMENT, AND WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS DONE EVER.THE ZOOM COMPANY SHOULD BE FORTHRIGHT AND HONESTA WITH THE PUBLIC. I PAID 600.00 DOLLARS TO BE BURNT ON THE TOP OF MY LIP, THAT SWEELED UP SO BADLY I HAD TO GO ON MEDICINE,VISIT MY DOCTOR THE E.R. AND HAD ALOT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE ZOOM WHITENING SYSTEM. I WILL CONTACT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND OTHER AGENTIES TO INFORM THEN OF THIS AWFUL EXPERIENCE
Posted by: cindy h | March 23, 2007 7:42 PM

:( :( :( I am loving my new teeth but the pain is unbearable :( I had it done at 1.30pm today and its now 8.30pm and I am SO uncomfortable. I had a darvocet 30 mins ago which has had NO effect. :(
Posted by: D | March 23, 2007 8:28 PM

Well, I wrote in on 3/20 and said that my procedure was no big deal. I spoke too soon. The day after my top gums turned black and I had an extremely upsetting week. After the swelling finally went down yesterday (5 days later), I can see that I have permanent gum lose between my two front teeth and around the tooth just to the right of them. I used Vitamin E to help me through this to try to sooth them. Whiter teeth in the least of my concerns right now. I just want my gums back!!!!!!!!! It's not worth it.
Posted by: Britt | March 27, 2007 10:45 AM

I just had the Zoom procedure done and I started experiencing the intense sharp pain in my 3rd 15 min session which literally made me jump in the chair. It happened again during the 4th session and brought tears to my eyes.
The hygenist told me it was rare to have such pain but gave me flouride toothpaste to use at home to supposedly help with pain.
Well its been 3 hours and the pain just keeps coming. Its like ultra intense 1 second long bursts of the most insane pain i have ever felt. It literally makes me jump every time because theres no warning.
I paid $500 and i specifically asked if it was painful because i said i have very sensitive teeth but i was told that the zoom was not painful (yea right).
My results are noticeable but nowhere near as good as i had expected. I would NEVER do it again nor would i even have done it in the first place if i had known about the level of pain. My wife was going to have it done too but i refuse to let her go through with it and after seeing me suffer she doesn't want to do it anymore.
To any dentists or hygenists out there- you people should be ashamed of yourselves for doing this procedure, it should not be done to anyone unless the patients are made to fully understand that MOST people seem to have the painful after effects described on this website.
DON'T HAVE THIS PROCEDURE DONE OR YOU MIGHT REGRET IT!!!
BELIEVE ME!!
Posted by: Max | March 28, 2007 5:12 PM

First I would like to say that my teeth looked absolutely gorgeous after the Zoom procedure! Totally beautiful!
Now, having said that a long 12 hours after the procedure, I would like to take a pair of pliers and pull out each and every one of my new pearly white teeth one by one.... Ouchhhhhhh! This Zoom is hell on earth!
1 broken arm, 1 slipped disc in the back, 2 knee surgeries, 2 titanium screws drilled in my leg, a dry socket when my widsom teeth were removed, braces, a pallet expander that was bent into the roof of my mouth during a jelly bean incident at easter... and these pains DO NOT EVEN COMPARE with what you will feel after the Zoom procedure! The zings are torture! I read the comment about the Theradent Oral Rinse Medicated, ran out to get it, and it does not help. Neither does the fluoride rinse. Neither does the 1600mg of ibuprofin. If this is the first 12 hours, I can only imagine what the next 12 hours will be like. Make sure that somebody drives you to the dentist, because the zings of pain that you get afterwards have potential liability if they strike when you are driving. You want to yell and jump out of your skin everytime they hit. I had maybe 4 zings during my last 15 minute treatment, then I had "sensitivity" for an hour after, then I had full on consistent ZING PAIN which still continues. Is it worth it? In my opinion... NO!
Posted by: Lena | March 29, 2007 7:56 PM

Ouch. I had the whitening at 8AM this morning. I wish I had been told the pain would wreck my day. I would have had an afternoon treatment instead. As is I missed work today.
Posted by: Stee | April 2, 2007 1:54 PM

Well i decided to get the Zoom Yesterday around 4pm and as similar to many of you, I started to experience the pains towards the end of the 2nd session. I pressed ahead with the 3rd since I had paid the money and OMG was it painfull!! I have had a child and sat through 10hrs of getting a tattoo and this tooth pain for me was agonizing! On my way home I continued to get sharp fast pains and started quickly regretting the procedure. I got home and took tylenol with codene didn't even take off the edge and by this time I had a headache that was horrible. I couldn't fall asleep and at 130am last night I found this website full of the exact situation I was painfully going through!! It did give me hope that it should end soon!! I finally feel asleep for a few hours before I had to go to work this morning and as today went on the pain decreased and now it's not bad at all I'm just TIRED!! LOL! Thanks for all the info too bad I didn't see this before hand, I'm still unsure if I would have pressed on to did it if I would have known about the pain- At least I knew there was light at the end of the tunnel and my teeth are white :) P.S. My note to fellow on lookers if your thinking about doing the procedure take pain killers prior and make sure you DO NOT have any obligations for at least 12-18 hrs after so you can kill the pain with OTC drugs if need be and lay at home!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Angela | April 3, 2007 7:36 PM

I had the Zoom treatment today at 11 AM. My dentist told me there would be some sensitivity for a few days. Sensitivity is not giving birth. My God, I've had several root canals, two childen, a broken leg and a recent hysterectomy.....none of which compare to the severity of the pain this evening. I've paid this asshole over three thousand dollars in the past few months to correct crowns and root canals. I had a tooth extraction as well. I was given hydrocodone after the root canals and extraction. He told me to take a couple advil for the zoooooom treatment. I called his emergency line in tears and waited for a call with no luck. Finally I reached his partner who did an oral surgery for me and he called me in a few pain killers to get through the night. It's been two hours and four advil and one hydrocodone has barely put a dent in the pain. Finally, my dentist called and told me to use special toothpaste and further told me his grueling experience after he had his own treatment. I now think he's a money hungry bastard and plan to dispute the charges. He should have never taken any risks considering I've been in his office for months having dental work. He even recommended my thirteen year old son get the treatment who has baby white teeth. I think the lesson is this. Don't let your family dentist think he's competent enough to push cosmetic procedures. Did I mention he insisted I get luminiers because the enamel was worn off my teeth. I couldn't cough up the money for the eight thousand dollar procedure so he opts for the Zoom. After speaking with a family friend who's a dentist, I was not ever a healthy candidate for the zoom. Not only is he incompetent, but fully aware my husband is a lawyer. I hope that sociopath gets a kidney stone in the middle of the desert. I plan to file a complaint, write a letter to my local newspaper and sue him for complete negligence.
Of which I'm going to donate to some Oprah fund for kids who desperately need dental attention. My teeth weren't that bad to begin with. I whitened barely two shades. I guess I'm as vain as he is sadistic. There are other methods you can try. I learned my lesson.
Posted by: Carmen Slade | April 3, 2007 10:59 PM

I had the Zoom treatment yesterday and about 1/2 an hour after it was finished, I began to experience the most intense pain that I was afraid my teeth were going to fall out. It felt like every tooth in my mouth was being drilled at the same time without any anesthetic. The pain was seering, stabbing and unrelenting for 6 hours until I remembered I had some Demerol. My upper lip is swollen and numb. More than anything, I am very disappointed in my Dentist - I have a lot of respect for his ability and am surprised he did not warn me of the potential risks and side effects.
Posted by: Dodi | April 4, 2007 11:29 AM

I too got Zoom done Tuesday (April 3rd)... and I am still in pain!!! My lip got burned on the inside by the UV light apparently (at least that is the only thing that my dr thought had happened) and it is so raw I haven't eaten since then, I can't talk or laugh without wincing in pain, and the sharp stinging is completely unbearable, and that says a lot on its own since I have really high pain tollerance! My lip is now raw from what I can feel and it feels like I have a hole in the middle. The minute I walked out of the office, Angelina had nothing on me... my lip was completely disfigured and swollen 10x. Completely miserable... can't eat, can't brush my teeth, vitamin e soothes but it is so temporary and does nothing more than to alleviate the pain for 2min. and keep it moist. Can't even tell how the teeth look since I can't lift up my lip without wanting to cry.
Posted by: O | April 6, 2007 1:51 PM

hi my doctor recomended zoom whitening but never explain to me,his assistant did it and the pain was horrible and l had burns and blisters on my lips and mouth,my lip was 3 times the size and l can't eat it was 4 days ago and they are one of the best doctors in my are l have to go to another doctor tomorrow my lip burn is getting better but l am afraid l got more damage than that.dont take a chance
Posted by: sandra m | April 8, 2007 8:41 AM

I had the ZOOM whitening done on April 3, I experienced the zingers others have referred to and burned gums. My gums hurt the most, they were swollen and purple, the oxygenating gel they give you helped some and my teeth are whiter but OUCH -severe pain. When I called the next day to ask about the purple pain and if they could prescribe anything for it they told me I would have to drive back out there for the dentist to look at it because severe pain wasn't normal. Well, I feel if the dentist had checked them before I left, he could have done something right than, but he only spent 1 minute with me, asking if I was ready to have my teeth whitened, told me to bite down than shook my hand and left. While the procedure was being done, I dept asking the girl if this pain was "normal" and she said yes. If I could drive I would have but I didn't sleep at all the night before and feared I wouldn't be able to see through my tears to make it the 30 minute drive to them. She told me to take tylenol and ibuprofen to lessen the pain. Well it is now the 9th I am still in pain and my gums are now a yellowish white, swollen and sore. I am going to drive back out there and see if they have been permanently damaged. Hopefully they will tell me the truth, than I am going to see my regular dentist after he gets back from holiday to confir what they said. I will keep you posted.
Posted by: Cindy Lowery | April 9, 2007 6:04 AM

I just got Zoom done two hours ago. When the technician started the proceedure she told me that I should call for her if I felt any pain. During my last round, about 2 minutes in, I suddenly got a sharp pain in one of my lower front teeth down by the root. I started snaping my fingers and making noise, it took the technician what seemed like an eternity (probably 2 minutes) to notice and come over and turn the system off. The pain went away and then came back randomly every few minutes. Now its getting more often and stronger and other teeth. I'm really PO'd that I wasn't warned about this. DONT GET THIS PROCEEDURE. I'm talking about 8 out of 10 pain here.
The worst part was that after I was done and bitching up a storm about pain, the technician and then the receptionist told me that they couldn't the proceedure because they had tried and it was too painful.
Dont do it.
Posted by: Ryan | April 9, 2007 5:48 PM

I am just after gettig the Zoom treatment done, and i am in so much pain, i know some people said that it depends on the age of peopl, well imn only 21, my teeth are a bit whiter, but the black part i wanted to get rid of is still there...im after flushing 600 euro down the drain...and for what this kinda pain.., please all think about what your doing..i have to take the rest of the day of work...doesnt look good to my employer,,and it also means i loose a days pay...so consider doing it maybe at the weekend, where you can lye in bed for the rest of the day and cry with the pain...
Posted by: Pauline | April 10, 2007 4:16 AM

I had Zoom done at 1:00pm and it's now 7:45pm and I'm in more pain than when I had gum grafting. I was told that there would be sensitivity, but this is actually pain. Nothing seems to help and I'm even having a hard time typing this comment. Wish I knew, I would never do this again.
Posted by: Debbie | April 11, 2007 7:51 PM

I had my Zoom teeth whitening two days ago. I got it done because my dentist suggested that it was a good idea so that the two front caps I will get today on my front teeth will match nice white teeth rather than put dull yellowed caps to match dull yellowed teeth. I have bonding on my front teeth which he said would not bleach. Well, I dont see much difference at all, just maybe a couple shades lighter. my two front teeth are not really noticably yellow unless you are looking for it. People tell me they cant notice much change. So that tells me my teeth werent as yellow as I thought OR the Zoom doesnt work as well on some people? and the pain? I was in TERRIBLE intense pain afterwards for the day--shooting pains in my teeth that just stopped me in my tracks. Then yesterday my upper lip was swollen and raw on the inside with 3 like big sores--must have gotten burned. i called my dentist and begged for pain killers and he suggested motrin. I had a vicodin put away for an emergency--and it was the only way I could sleep that night.
Posted by: Patti | April 12, 2007 6:18 AM

I had the zoom treatment today. What kind of sick sadistic joke is this crap! I was not even warned about "zingers" until the light was turned on. Even then they were not explained to me. So, round one, not to bad. Near the end of the round 1 had 2 mild, quick "zingers".
Round 2, "zingers" much more frequent and painful. I thought I was going to push the light away, but I really wanted white teeth. The three minute warning beep went off and I could hardly wait. At this point the pain was like getting your front teeth drilled to the nerves without novocaine.
The hygenist asked me if I was OK. I lied and said not to bad. Just a little pain (big lie!!!). She was getting me ready for round three with another application of the gel. I kept flinching in pain. she turned the light back on and I lasted about 4 minutes and had to tell her to get this crap out of my mouth. The pain was so bad that I wished I could passout!!!!!
So now I'm bummed out that I couldn't stand to finish the treatment because the whitening from the first 2 rounds was pretty good and I spent 500.00 for the Zoom. Really the whitest my teeth have been since I was a small child.
The last part of the treatment is they make a mold of your mouth to make a tray so you can do a few touch up treatments at home. I could not do this. I could not even open my mouth or speak. About all I could do was sweat and cringe in pain. It will have to wait until I no longer want to take a shotgun to my head (yes, the pain is that bad).
I went home and took some leftover vicodin I had. Two pills to start. Then one more, then five advil. Was a waist of good medicine as the pain was only getting worse with new "zingers" in different parts of me teeth. Then I spent some time on the couch in a fetal position. The pain was not getting better. Then I went on the web and found this site. I read about the Theradent. As soon as I cound get up the courage to getup and go to the store I did. I'm home now typing this and I can tell you that the Theradent does nothing for this kind of pain. Most likely the other people writing about the Theradent do not live two seconds from a drug store like I do and their minor relief if any was placebo effect and the passage of time....
It has been now five hours since the treatment and the "zingers" are slightly milder now. ONLY SLIGHTLY!...
I just went to the freezer and poured a glass of vodka with about two shots worth in it. I'll have to wait for it to warm to room temp before drinking it. I chose vodka over whiskey because I cannot have any food or drink with color in it according to my hygenist.
In a couple of days I hope to be able to do things like open my mouth without fear of a "zinger" from exposing my teeth to the air. Also, I want to go back to the dentist for my mouth tray and follow up gel. Yes, even though I'm in all of this pain I still want to finish this because my teeth relly do look great! Would I ever do this again? NEVER!!!!!!!! Would I recommend it to a friend? No way! They would not be my friend after sending them in for what feels like surgery without anesthesia. Well, that sums up my Zoom experience. I am going to check on my vodka. Also, I hope this helped anyone who was smart enough to read up on this treatment before diving in.
Posted by: Jeremy | April 12, 2007 12:39 PM

I commented back on April 9 about my experience; I have since been back to see the dentist 2x and I knew something was wrong when the dental tech took a look at my whitish yellow swollen upper gums and said she had never seen anything like that; the dentist came in and said I must have had an allergic reation to the whitening gel; gave me some more aloe salve and antibiotics, took a picture and said he was sending it to ZOOM; I just got back from my 2nd f/u and he said they were looking better BUT I am still in pain; my gums are still burning and my teeth are still sensitive to temperatures, citrus and spicy food and I had the procedure done on the 3rd. I think my top gums are receding, I think I am going to see my regular dentist tomorrow to see what he says. Has anyone had the burned gums and sensitive teeth reaction gotten better or am I doomed to this forever? The dentist said I should be ok in another week!
Posted by: Cindy L. | April 12, 2007 8:00 PM

Had it done today at 3 p.m. I am in terrible terrible pain. My bottom teeth hurt like nothing I have ever experienced. Took Advil PM, now I am just very tired and in pain. If you have ever experienced any sensitivity while using the strips, DO NOT do this. I am not sure it was worth it. I also have white "patches" on my teeth. The hygenist said it is due to the fact my enamel is thinner in some places, whatever. I hope it goes away, along with this pain. I am sorry I had it done.
Posted by: Christine | April 12, 2007 8:39 PM

JUST SAY NO
Posted by: Christine | April 12, 2007 8:45 PM

Oh my GOD.................:(
I had the ZOOM yesterday at 11AM...talk about torture.
It was like being awake during a root canal.
I had to pay 600.00 for this and I have a bottom lip full of burn marks and a bump on my gum infromt of my tooth.
Whiter??
I'm not even sure if it's that big of a deal.
I won't be telling people to do this,until I recover.
He gave me 6 vicodins,and told me to rub vitamen e right on my gums,can you frikkin imagine what thats going to be like??
I'm in sales,and talk all day on the phone...
can't do it today. TGIF cause I'm going to the pharmacy and then home to bed.
Damn..I'm the least VAIN person I know,but at 48 felt I should get the coffee off my teeth,I don't smoke...but was feeling like my teeth had sweaters on them!! lol
Now, they may be whiter,but I very well may need an antibiotic....
I live in The Hamptons in NY,and was charged more than anyone else I know who has had the treatment.
They also have 100 off if you go to their site..wish I would have been more proactive about this...
The pain is a killer...
thanks
Judian from Sag Harbor
Posted by: Judian | April 13, 2007 9:33 AM

It has now been almost two days since I had the Zoom procedure done for $500. I had three 20-minute sessions. My dental assistant explained that mild irritation and some sensitivity was normal, but that I should let her know immediately if I felt any burning. Apparently the assistant did a good job on isolating my gums, because burning was not a problem.
The first "zingers" hit in the middle of the second session, which made me want to jump out of my chair. When I indicated that I was having waves of intense pain in my lower front teeth, my dental assistant did not seem all that concerned saying again that sensitivity was normal. However, I must have jumped too much in response to the pain, because the protective seal along my lower gums had creacked. After having the seal repaired, I endured another 20 minutes of hellish pain. During the third session, the "zingers" continued in my lower teeth and began to occur in my upper teeth as well. My whole body was shaking from the pain (and I am typically good at toughing out pain). The zingers continued for all of the first day, but seemed to stop after one night's rest.
My dental assistant gave me a single tube of concentrated bleaching gel (22% carbamide peroxide), and two-weeks worth of a less concentrated bleaching gel (16% carbamide peroxide). She said to use the more concentrated gel for the first 3-4 nights, then continue with the less concentrated gel.
I endured my first at-home bleaching session using the 22% gel. The gel instantly caused a burning sensation in my mouth. I endured the pain for one hour, the maximum session time indicated on the package. Perhaps I foolishly endure the pain, because the gel seriously burned my gums, causing them to appear grey and dead. Later they turned white along the edges and some of the skin sloughed off. They still look chewed up and a little recessed, but are gradually healing. I won't be trying the at-home bleaching again until my gums heal more fully. I will also be looking for ways to reduce the exposure of my gums to the bleaching solution.
In the end, if I had known that the pain was going to be this bad, I would NEVER have gone through the procedure. I may also cease the at-home treatments if I cannot find a way around the gum damage.
Posted by: Jennifer | April 15, 2007 3:53 AM

had the Zoom whitening done at 130, it really hurt during the whole process, when i told the dental assistant the pain i was feeling, she told me she had never heard of there being pain like this before. The 1st and 3rd Session hurt for me, but it was not till later at around 630 that the pain started to kick in , shooting pain, here i sit with a luke warm cloth in my mouth, and it really doesnt help, but i did have some relief when i filled my mouth up with saliva and let it sit in front of my teeth. I know this sounds gross, but it sems to be the only thing that is working...try it out...hope it helps
Posted by: kARLEE | April 16, 2007 7:43 PM

i had zoom done yesterday and i regret it more than anything..i left the office with a bump on my upper lip-i was told it would go away within a few minutes, that it was a result from my mouth/lips being stretched open.
anyway 4 hrs later this "bump"got much bigger.it almost looked like a blister
today my lip is so swollen--horrible--ive been crying all day..i look so ridiculous and according to the dentist and his colleage--nothing can be done...time is the only way to heal it-i was told it in isnt a blister but in fact edema---and i have yet to get an answer on how or why it happened...they dont know..the only risk or side effect i was warned about was tooth sensitivity.
i am very upset and will be requesting a full refund...
not only am i an emotional, physical mess but i am also missing work--there is no way i could ever go looking like this...
not to mention-the tip of my tongue is sensitive and has white bumps on it/
has anyone heard a story like this?
Posted by: dee | April 17, 2007 7:02 PM

I am shocked at the similarities in this thread. It seems like a lot of folks were warned of mild pain and then actually had shockingly intense pain.
I had this Zoom procedure done this morning at 7:30 and have suffered through the worst day of my life. I've taken several Vicoden, which I did not get from my dentist but felt very lucky to have had left over from a recent knee surgery. This pain was the worst I can remember feeling in my life, if only because it lasted all day. I'm still in intense pain.
I'm fairly young - 31 - and have never had a cavity or any teeth sensitivity. I regularly go to the dentist and have no problems with my teeth or gums. If there are risk factors for this side effect, I can't figure out what they are. As for the pain, I am an athlete and think I can handle pretty good levels of pain. I dislocated my knee recently and can say confidently that this pain is much worse, both in intensity and in duration.
I'm not sure I would have done it had I known. More than that, I feel like I was misled by my dentist and his staff. From this thread, these intense pains are a fairly common side effect. I think I should have been told so that I could have decided whether to take the risk.
Good luck to everyone suffering through this. I only hope it's gone or at least less intense by tomorrow.
Posted by: kate | April 18, 2007 7:02 PM

I had the ZOOM done at 10:30am with the three 20 minute sessions. It cost me $350. I didn't feel any pain until about 3 hours later. It started all of a sudden,, the zings, and it is 12am and I'm still in pain. I went out to CVS and bought the Theradent rinse. I didn't think it would do anything, but I was desperate. I used it and it did help with some of the pain. It is $10 a bottle, well worth it for a little pain relief. I wouldn't refer this to anyone.
Posted by: Aileen | April 18, 2007 9:42 PM

I had the zoom 2 done today and did not know what to expect. I had not done any research on it besides researching for a dentist. She told me that my teeth would be extremely sensitive afterwards and to take tylenol. The first and second 15 minute sessions were fine. The third session I didn't feel any discomfort just a few tingling sensations. The fourth session I started to feel couple of zings but not painful though. It was not until I got out of the dentist office that I started to feel the extreme sensitivity and pain. That is why I ended up on this site, I was trying to read testimonials to see how I could ease the pain in my mouth. I took asprin, it doesn't WORK! I can stand a lot of pain, but the pain is different when it comes to your mouth. My teeth or should I say my whole mouth hurts so bad right now that it has caused a bad headache. I am satisfied with the results, my teeth were slightly yellow and now my teeth are pearly white. I would not recommend it, but if you want white teeth in an hour in an half and can stand the pain then go ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you though!
Posted by: Stephanie | April 18, 2007 10:01 PM

DO NOT USE ZOOM! I had this procedure done 3 days ago - my gums were severely burned - I am still drinking from a straw. These people must not certify their "dentists" well enough. And to top it off, my teeth only changed about one shade. I had Brightsmile 3 years ago - with excellent results - at least 6 shades - and no side effects. I called both the place that did the ZOOM procedure, and ZOOM headquarters - they both suggested vitamin E oil on my scorched gums - which is totally ridiculous - that is certainly not going to relieve the pain! I'm still waiting to hear back from either party - but I'm not holding my breath!
BTW-the sharp shooting pains in my teeth were nothing compared to the gum pain!
Posted by: Rebecca K | April 23, 2007 10:20 AM

AHHHH! I have NEVER been in SOO much pain! It is unbelievable. I am so tired and want to sleep and can't. I had the Zoom procedure done today at 10:00 a.m and left in so much pain. Like so many of you the 3rd round, 15 minutes each, had the zingers that nearly knocked me out of the chair. I had to stop her after the 3rd round and tell her I couldn't take anymore. I had 800 mill of tylenol at home and took one every 3 hours and NOTHING happened. I literally couldn't do anything. I was so mad they never said I would suffer any pain and failed to tell me about any side affects. The hygenist kept saying no turning back and she was too scared to do it but wouldn't say why. I have now taken 4 Vicoden and literally called my dentist 5 times within 15 minutes and made them call something in to make the pain stop. It just kept getting worse. I am still in pain but not a 10 anymore, it has lowered to a 6 or 7 on a scale but can hardly eat and my days activities were shot. I am so mad and have a 2 year old and 9 month old son that I literally couldn't communicate with. My step daughter had to take care of the little one's today. It is horrible and I can hardly tell a difference. I would have black teeth then to suffer this pain. I am still unable to sleep and still in pain. Please for your own sake don't do this to yourself. It truly is unbearable and I have been told I have a very high pain threshold. I appreciated all your feedback and felt somewhat better knowing there was more of us out there but praying we will all feel better soon. Terrible Pain!!!!
Posted by: Stacy | April 24, 2007 12:37 AM

Zoom = Torture!!!!
I had my Zoom appointment yesterday and it was like being bound and tortured. I was waiting for Jack Bauer to come into the room and start interrogating me - I was ready to admit being the key architect of 9/11 AND the attack on Pearl Harbor!
There was no mention of pain when they were selling me the treatment and I was quite suprised when my it started zinging 3/4 into the first round (i had 4 rounds). Every time they put the light on me I would be in excruiciating pain 1/2 way through - it was like someone was burning your mouth with a heat gun.
When I finished I was completely exhausted! Never felt so sick in my life, no question about it - it was the worst dental procedure I've had in my life (worse than pulling 4 wisdom teeth in 1 appt). Slept in till noon the next day.
My teeth are definitely whiter, will see in a few days (I will repost at that time). Paid about $350 US. I have to say, I would probably NEVER do this again. I don't think i would be so dramatic about it but I just had no idea it would be that painful.

Posted by: Eric in Vegas | April 24, 2007 4:24 PM

I had the zoom process yesterday and wow my teeth are white - but I don't think I would do that again. I had to come home from work because I had a terrible headache, and my teeth hurt. I also felt a little nausea - weird, just for wanting my teeth white. Just think about it before you do it. I don't recommend it!!
Posted by: Laura | April 25, 2007 7:45 PM

I walked out of the dentist's office 1 hour ago, and I am a grown man damn near tears... I was fine after 2 sessions, the tech came in & prepped me for the 3rd and I got a little twinge, after the 3rd session I now feel like someone is shoving sewing needles through my gums & into the roots of my teeth, then pounding them with a hammer. I really wanted to do a 4th session to get maximum whitening, but I just couldn't do it - I've broken several bones, NONE of them hurt ANYTHING like this. SO - if you're thinking about doing this, consider all your options first!!!!
Posted by: Nathan | April 26, 2007 11:21 AM

I also decided to get my teeth whitened because I'm getting married. For me, the pain was definately NOT worth it. The dentist recommended I go with Zoom instead of traditional peroxide because I tend to have sensitive teeth and Zoom is not supposed to cause as much sensitivity. I am now in excruciating pain. I don't even know if my teeth look any whiter because I can't open my mouth for fear of air increasing the sensitivity. I understand everyone experiences different levels of sensitivity, but this is ridiculous. The hygenist said she had never seen anything like this before, but obviously, from reading the comments, it's at least somewhat common. I encourage everyone to tell their dentists about their pain and that others have experienced similar problems so other patients can make informed decisions. My dentist was completely taken by surprise. I was given advil, a flouride wash and even some special topical (Vicor??) and not allowed to leave the office for an hour after the treatment I was in so much pain. To top it all off, my top lip has been burnt and it's now red and swollen and also quite painful. I look like I've been punched in the face. Zoom is definately not worth it.
Posted by: Christine | April 27, 2007 1:30 PM

Will my teeth color go back to their natural color? Answer, YES. ZOOM will not give you 8-10 shades whiter like they advertise maybe 1 shade. At first you will see about 4 shade difference that day only!!! Yes, my dentist who charged me $700 for this procedure NEVER once mentioned the pain involved! Also, he sold me extra night white and after a night or two of that the SAME PAIN comes back as the original office procedure. Has anyone else had any pain free beaching using Zoom night trays? ZOOM is a RIPOFF and I wish I could get my money back but my dentist had me sign a four page document saying it may not work 2 minutes before my procedure. Please let me know how I can get my money back from this ZOOM SCAM. Please don't waste your money on ZOOM!!!!
Posted by: jay | April 27, 2007 3:28 PM

ZOOM WHITENING: WORSE THAN CHILDBIRTH, EVEN WITH REPUTABLE, CAREFUL DENTIST. I had a very similar experience to most of the posts. I had the Zoom 2 whitening, and was only aware of 'mild sensitivity.' I had NEVER had tooth sensitivity before, and had even been told that I have a very high tolerance to pain. I don't think that having a good dentist affects whether or not you'll have pain at all. Although, I do think that they're responsible for making sure your mouth is properly covered to avoid burning. I had no burning, but the zinger's (the first I even learned of the term 'zinger' is this site) started at the end of my first 15 minute round. I couldn't continue as the 2nd round started, the pain was too much! I was SO disappointed, because I really wanted that perfect white smile. The 'zingers' came without notice, like someone stabbing you in the nerve, and it hurt to the point of a full body convulsion (basically a shooting pain, that makes your forehead perspire, your stomach turn and eyes tear up, all in about 1 second). I had these 'zingers' every few minutes, coming out of nowhere. About 2 hours later, it became one long zinger, constant pain, so bad I felt like I might pass out. I called my dentist, who was very concerned and prescribed Vicodan (he called for the next 4 days to check on me, and said he would contact Zoom, I also referred him to this site). The Vicodan didn't stop the pain, but made me woozy enough to sleep a bit. This was THE WORST PAIN OF MY LIFE. I was in pain for two full days, no work or errands. It was hard to describe it to anyone, and I was so very lucky to find this site and realize I wasn't just some baby who couldn't handle some 'mild sensitivity.' Luckily, it did slowly fade over the next few days, and went away completely after a week. I wouldn't recommend Zoom to anyone, or ever do it again. My teeth are a bit whiter, but not enough to make it worth it. I can see how people would be curious, and think they can handle the pain in order to get perfect teeth. But the reality is, if you want movie star teeth, they all have porcelin veneers and at $2000 per tooth, it's pretty pricey. It probably doesn't hurt as much to Zoom veneers since they aren't real teeth, with no pores that allow the bleach to get to the nerve. If you just want a whiter smile I'd stick to OTC whiteners, which get close to the same result with no pain. Good luck to all, I hope that your pain goes away quickly, and that potential Zoomer's are forewarned :)
Thank you,
Rori
Posted by: Rori | April 30, 2007 1:37 PM

Rebecca, Thanks for providing a place to vent about ZOOM. I didn't know that ZOOM could cause PAIN . All I knew was what my dentist told me...I'd get a great WHITE smile and maybe feel a bit of sensitivity. HA! I was in complete agony for at least 18 hrs after the procedure. I took vicodine, 800 mlg of ibuprofen and it didnt help at all. I have a very high thresh hold for pain. I tough things out, but this pain was unbearable. To make it worse, my teeth were a lighter shade of yellow immediately after the procedure however, the next day, my teeth started changing colors and became a mottled looking mess of colors. I didnt tell anyone that I had ZOOM and waited to see my friends and familys reactions to my new smile. When I smiled , I had more than a few people that know me well say "whats wrong with your teeth???? My teeth look horrible. At least before ZOOM they were all one color, now they are blotchy and mottled.Its horrible. I went back to the dentist today and was told.."oh well, it happens." He suggested I get veneers to cover it all up. He also said I could just wait a few months and hopefully they will go back to my normal yellowish color and maybe wont be blotchy anymore but he had no way of knowing. If I had KNOWN that after spending $500.00 and experiencing the worse pain of my life ( way worse than natual childbirth) I would end up with teeth that are MUCH uglier than I had...there is no way I would have considered doing it! I wish I had googled ZOOM and PAIN before I got the procedure! If you are considering having ZOOM.... DON'T DO IT!!!!!
Posted by: catherine | April 30, 2007 11:12 PM

The amount of pain that I currently feel after having the Zoom procedure is unbelievable. I took a very strong pain killer that I had left over from a major surgery and it didn't even make a dent in the pain. Remeber braces - multiply that X 100! The fact that I was not advised prior to the procedure that there may be some pain (let alone this type of pain), is unconsionable - especially given the number of people who have had the same problem - my dentist may as well have hit me in the mouth with a wrench!!!
Posted by: James | May 1, 2007 10:01 AM

OH MY GOSH!!! Had Zoom 2 hours ago and I want to die, even Vicodin is not helping. Teeth look great but I don't care right now!!
Posted by: Michelle | May 2, 2007 1:20 PM

Wow. I got the Zoom treatment about 3 hours ago. When my dentist mentioned there might be some pain and discomfort afterwards, i never expected this. Some people describe their "zings" as once in a while..my mouth seems to have turned into a zing factory. I've never experienced this kind of pain before and hope it goes away soon. Granted, my teeth look amazing but all in all I feel as though the aftermath isn't worth this treatment.
Posted by: marianne | May 4, 2007 11:30 AM

Everyone Obviously has different kinds of pain associated with this. I am one that is in Unbearable Pain. But mine seems to be Different. I am not having "Zings" of pain, i am having Constant Extremely Intense Pain.
The color of my teeth are B1, which is pretty white, but i wanted them to be Extremely white. Which i have managed to Accomplish, but its NOT WORTH IT. THE PAIN IS JUST TOO MUCH!!.
I got the Procedure done at 8:30 am today, was finished up by 10am. My pain started around 11am. The Procedure went Beautifully. I felt a zing of pain only for a few seconds in the 1st of my 3, fifteen minute sessions. But i pulled the light away and it diminished so i put it right back into place. And i had no more pain throughout the Procedure. But an hour later is when it kicked in. It's now 10:30pm, and my pain is still as intense as it was when it started in on me at 11am.
I took 3 advil with 1 hydroco and the pain didnt budge. Then i took another 3 advil and 1 hydroco a few hours later, the pain still didnt budge. Then i went to the drugstore and got some sensodyne, which gives me a tiny bit of relief for a few seconds,but it seems to burn the inside of my lips. Btw, they were extremely swollen when the procedure was finished but have gone down considerably since earlier. The inside is quite raw, as i think either some bleach got onto them, or the light got on them somehow. The dentists made very sure they packed around my teeth and lips so that i wouldnt get a sunburn.
But at no time did anyone tell me i would be in this much pain. When i say im in Pain, i mean its EXTREMELY INTENSE...
My teeth in general seem to go bad quite often, and are very sensitive. I've tried the Crest 3 day whitening, and my teeth hurt Unbearably for the entire day. And that was just after 1 thirty minute treatment back in December of last year. Havent had the courage to try it again since then.
My Zoom Whitening Results are Great, but how can i be happy when im in so much pain?.
I didnt think this was going to be
anything like the Crest strips. I thought the Ultra Violet Light was going to make them lighter, i didnt realize bleach was what was going onto my teeth!!!.
If i had known it was going to hurt this much, i surely wouldnt have done it. It cost me $300 if anyone is wondering, but that was because i had a coupon for half off. I live in Louisiana.
But word the Wise, try the crest 3 day white strips first to see if your teeth hurt and can withstand bleach. Besides the whitening strips are only about 29.99 and the Zoom is typically around $500-600 dollars.
~Shantell
Posted by: Shantell | May 8, 2007 8:32 PM

I just had the Zoom procedure done about 1.5 hours ago, and like so many others began to feel it in the later stages of the 3rd session. WOW!! Probably the most intense pain I have ever felt! The 'zings' still continue about every few minutes or so, and all but knock me off of my feet! I have been a football player, martial artist and a boxer, so I am no strager to pain, but never have experienced anything like this! They acted like this was new to them at the office. No warnings ahead of time at all!! The girl who did mine did not seem to know what she was doing. The entire process took almost 3 hours including preparation, even though they told me it would take about an hour. Glad I did not have to work today! If you are thinking about having this procedure, THINK AGAIN!!
Posted by: Joseph Broonosky | May 10, 2007 11:20 AM

I had the ZOOM! done this afternoon. Now it's 3:30 AM and my bottom teeth are killing me. I'm so happy to read the comments. I'm not alone! I think it's worth it even though it hurts. I've taken Ibuprofen and that didn't stop the pain at all. I just took a Vicodin -I'm hoping that will give me a few hours of sleep/relief. I never expected it to hurt this much and I'm happy to have a white smile. Now if the pain would just go away....
Posted by: Elle Johnson | May 11, 2007 3:29 AM

I am absolutely freaking dying right now. I can't believe I let the hygenist talk me into this crap. I was having a crown on my back teeth done with two cavities filled today so when the hygenist talked me into getting the ZOOM whitening done before the crown on the BACK tooth, I thought, why not? She said it would look nice. I AM SO IN PAIN RIGHT NOW. I even went back to the dentist this afternoon and the hygenist acted like she had never seen anyone in pain like me. She put floride on my teeth in trays for about 20 minutes but that hasn't helped. I must be stupid because I have always researched procedures before I have them done but this is what I get for trusting my hygenist. I will never, ever get this done again. It feels like all of my teeth have been ripped out of my head. For those of you who had no reaction, good for you. As for me, this was more painful than childbirth.....I have two kids. BEWARE!!!!!!!
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 15, 2007 5:50 PM

OW OW OW! It wasn't too bad during the treatment but now I'm in pain like the rest of you. I've taken an IBU Profin and it's not doing much.
The worst is (like some ppl before me) this PUFFY UPPER LIP. And by puffy I mean literally 3 times its normal size. It just juts out there -- the initial puffing was ok but now it's just hideous. Worst of all, it's not going away and I have to be a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding in 6 days.
=(
Posted by: Lisa | May 15, 2007 9:56 PM

I just had the Zoom treatment done at 12:00pm and my teeth weren't in the best shape. I'm only 17 and I'm normally good with pain but during the 3rd session (I did 3x20min sessions) I began to feel the zing and it went through each one of my bottom teeth one by one. The dentist gave me 3 advils before I even started and it didn't do a thing. It is now 2:45 and the pain isn't getting any better. I've had 6 zings just typing this paragraph. My teeth are pretty white, nothing amazing though. I payed $650 and it came with trays and whitening stuff. I am not getting many zings on my top teeth at all...only my bottoms. I am afraid to eat anything at this point because I don't want to open my mouth. I'm just counting down until I can take more pain killers. Overall I don't think the procedure is worth it. There has got to be something less painful out there.
Posted by: Dan | May 17, 2007 11:50 AM

I had the zoom treatment done at 10 this morning (it's now 4:45PM) and I'M IN WORSE PAIN THEN I WAS A FEW HOURS AGO. It's like the pain keeps getting worse by the hour. I took 700mg's of advil and the pain still kept getting worse .. after two hours of the advil not helping i had my mom call my dentist to see if there was anything else I could do to lessen the pain (it hurts too bad to open my mouth).. and they told me to take 800mg's of ibuprofen. i couldn't even go through the third interval of the treatment. in the middle of the second fifteen minutes, my teeth started hurting so bad that my entire body was shaking. my dentist didn't tell me about ANY of the side effects.
once all the pain is over with, i'll probably be so glad that i did it (because my teeth are MUCH whiter).. but right now, while i'm still feeling the pain I SWEAR TO GOD IT'S NOT WORTH IT!).It's hard to actually remember how painful something is when you're not actually going through that pain.
my pain isn't necessarily a shooting pain, my teeth are just THROBBING! I'm going to lose my mind if this doesn't stop soon. I'm starving, and I tried eating some bread, but it caused sharp pains.
AHHHHH!!
Posted by: Kathryn | May 17, 2007 2:56 PM

I hope you read this before the ZOOM! I had shooting pains all though my teeth for about 20 hours after ZOOM! About 15 hours after the ZOOM I was sick!! So not only did I have this horrible pain shooting though my teeth for hours I could not stop thowing up!! It was not worth going though all that pain for my teeth to be a little whiter than they were. Don't do it!
Posted by: Lacy | May 17, 2007 2:58 PM

i just got that zoom procedure as well (7 hours ago) and the pain is killing me, i have been trainning for a boxing math with my friend and now i know how far i been from feeling the pain in the gym
Posted by: luis | May 21, 2007 9:39 PM

Hello again, I have found the website for the company that sells Zoom machines. I am really upset now! If I had been given the informed consent form (which is on their website) http://www.discusdental.com/, I would never, never had done this! The consent form tells of many possible side effects. The most disturbing is this: "One of the things that can go wrong is root resorption; This is a condition where the root of the tooth starts to dissolve either from the inside or outside. Although the cause of this is still uncertain, I understand that there is evidence that indicates the incidence of root resorption is higher in patients who have undergone root canals followed by whitening procedures! "
I have had several root canals. Now I have to worry about my teeth dissolving! Plus my burned lips and gums are killing me. I don't know if the hygienist ever did this before! PLease don't risk this. I am so sorry that I did. Mary
Posted by: Mary Hardwick | May 21, 2007 11:12 PM

Not that I am happy that anyone has had to deal with this, but I am a little more relieved to see that I am not the only one that has had this severe pain, post ZOOM. I am in so much pain right now and nothing is making it feel better. I almost called my friend to take me to Urgent Care to get something to numb the feeling I have in my upper and lower teeth and the headache this has caused. I am an extremely active person and don't like to sit around in the evening, but aside from getting on the internet to research, I can't do anything because of the sensitivity and pain due to Zoom. I just pray that I wake up in the morning feeling better! I recommend that everyone look at different options for teeth whitening.
Posted by: Kristin | May 22, 2007 5:29 PM

OK, so I had the Zoom! treatment yesterday at 9:30am, by the third 15 minute treatment I had had enough! Only 1 or 2 Zingers, but the pain increased and was so intense hours later when I got home and so bad that evening, I was afraid to open my mouth and talk. Thank god today I am fine, but my teeth are all blotched, and my two front teeth look like an easter egg when you only dip it half way into the coloring. They look so bad, I am hoping that it is just the dehydration or some other rational reason and that they return to normal. My dentist did an awesome job of pre-prep, so I have no burns or sores, but I am definitely at this point (one day later) not happy with the results and would never do it again. They were really white and brite immediately after the sessions, but now have toned way down and like I said earlier are blotched and I don't even want to smile. Hoping it gets better - bottom line, I would never do this again and wouldn't recommend it to anyone!
Posted by: Melissa | May 23, 2007 12:17 PM

I had the Zoom whitening procedure done yesterday afternoon and am pleased with the results; however, my lips were slightly swollen after the procedure and gradually got bigger and bigger last night despite ice/ibuprofen. This morning, they are HUGE! Any suggestions on what to do about the swelling would be appreciated. Of course, my dentist's office is closed today (Friday) and I have not gotten a call back from the message I left on the emergency number.
Posted by: Mary | May 25, 2007 6:13 AM

I just got my teeth whitened with ZOOM. NOT worth the pain. My teeth are streaked white on the whiter spots and the yellow parts are more prominent now. I had the zinging pain too that I wasn't aware of. The part that connects my lips to my gums feels cut. My upper lip was swollen for days. and peeling. My gums were stinging so much.
My teeth are a little whiter but not noticeably. If you look closely, they're only white on some spots. Very blotchy. How can this be fixed?
Should I get trays done now?
Posted by: Lynda Kim | May 26, 2007 1:46 PM

just had it done and I was told that I was the first patient to have perminent gum loss. I recommend on one doing this procedure!!! I am now taking legal action because the loss of my gums will never return
Posted by: Linda | May 30, 2007 10:55 AM

I had the zoom treatment on 27th april 2007. Within 7 hours I was tsken to the accident and emergancy dept of our local hospital. My top lip was enlarged to 3 times its normal size and restricted the nasel breathing. Clearly the blister was caused by burning.
Over the next week the dentist has cut away dead tissue from the outside and inside of the lip. I am now left with a numb top lip and shooting pains either side of the nose
Posted by: ken | June 2, 2007 2:35 AM

I had zoom done 2 days ago (3 fifteen minute sessions). I started getting Zings of shooting pain during the first session so the dentist froze one side of my mouth. The rest of the session was not comfortable, but ok.
When I got home I felt the WOSRT PAIN I have ever been in. A constant ache like a migraine in my teeth with sporadic shoots of unbearable pain every so often (especially when I spoke and let air on my teeth). I had to take a Tylenol 3 and I could STILL FEEL IT!! I couldn't believe it. Today (one day after treatment) I am feeling 100% better - like I never had it. It's weird. I would NEVER do this again or recommend it unless you know that you do not have sensitive teeth at all.
Posted by: melissa | June 2, 2007 6:30 PM

Never again!!!! I just had the Zoom whitening done 2 hours ago and the pain is unbearable. I have never experienced this type of pain before. Three Advils later and still no relief. Why didn't I research this prior?? I wish I came across this website earlier because this is ridiculous. I would like my 600 dollars back and my teeth to be how they were before. I DO NOT recommend this procedure to anyone.
Posted by: Amanda | June 5, 2007 2:27 PM

I had zoom whitening 7 hours ago. During the procedure I was fine, just noticed my lips & teeth slightly tingling in the final half hour of the treatment, which the dentist assured me was normal & nothing to worry about. But within an hour of finishing the zoom, OMG my mouth plummeted into the absolute WORST PAIN I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. I have taken 2 vicodin & while the rest of me feels totally sedated, my teeth are STILL IN SEARING PAIN. This is a nightmare. The dentisit had told me I could expect a little sensitivity after the procedure & said 2 tylenol would take care of it. But not even a double dose of vicodin (left over meds from a previous surgery I had) can begin to dull this horrific pain. I will never do this again & cannot believe zoom customers are not advised that there is a risk of THE WORST PAIN YOU HAVE EVER FELT IN YOUR LIFE & NOT EVEN 2 VICODIN CAN RELIEVE IT. I feel like I am in hell & at this point I am desperately hoping that this inflammation will not permanently affect the sensitivity of my teeth or prove to have given me some other permanent injury. Again, this has been a total nightmare. Thank God I found this board & now know that I am not the only one having this reaction. My deepest sympathies to all of you going through this post-zoom hell: you are not alone my friends.
Posted by: Christy | June 7, 2007 7:42 PM

o my gosh! i had the zoom done 4 days ago and the pain is unreal. I wished i had done some research on this before hand. i cant eat, drink or sleep. I went to the dentist office today, to talk face to face with her. when i got there, ofcouse the office was closed. Proubly best, because i would had given her an ear full. I would never tell anyone to have this done. They told me about the "zingers" only after i had paid and was back in the chair. And i think if she had given me something other than ibrophen, i could handle it better. my teeth were not that bad to start with, but made the desison to do it. I wish to God i had not! i was sent home with trays and the tube of whiteing. But, today i am scared to use them. I mean how much pain am i willing to go threw. Like someone else said, they look great..but i cant open my mouth to smile so what does it matter. I personally thing this produt should be taken off the market and out of the offices.
Posted by: lisa | June 11, 2007 2:23 PM

B rite Smile is one of many in-office tooth whitening procedures that have become en vogue recently. They tout it as a safe and quick procedure with excellent results. The purported advantage over in-home kits you can buy in a drug store is that its more powerful (yielding greater "whiteness"-- if that's even a word), much faster (advertised as one hour), and hey, it's performed BY a dentist, so there should be no risk of anything going wrong.

Well I'm here to say: don't believe the hype.

My experience with Brite Smile went a little something like this. You are forced to get a cleaning first, "so that the results are optimal." Even though it's hard to argue against the logic behind this, it comes off feeling shady, like you've been upsold and yet you can't argue against it. So boom, one appointment there and quite a bit of cash.

Then you come in for your Brite Smile action. They put you in a chair, use those weird "teeth on a stick" to try and match your current tooth color, then take a picture of your teeth. Don't worry about taking your glasses off-- you're not in the picture. Just your teeth, or choppers, as it were.

Then they lay you down, and give you those ridiculous 70's orange glasses that were clearly produced for less than $0.50USD, yet are entrusted with protecting your eyes from irreperable damage. You put those on, and they start putting layer after layer of contraptions in your mouth to keep it open for the procedure. These contraptions aren't exactly medieval-- for example, they go to great lengths to keep your lips moisturized-- but you still feel very awkward if not uncomfortable.

Finally ready for your procedure, they paint your teeth with something that smells like, for lack of better words, bad breath. Then they shove this mouth-shaped laser into your face, tell you to chill out, and walk away. Literally, walk away. If you think that because this procedure is done in a dentist's office, you're going to get some sort of professional oversight, think again. Right up to this point of my procedure was performed by the RECEPTIONIST. Yes, you read that right. She answers phones, makes schedules, and operates medical grade lasers on the side. No where on the advertisements did it mention that the product was SO easy to use that temporary front office help was apparently skilled enough to operate it without dentist supervision....

In any case, my life began to drag to a crawl at this point. The CD choices they offered me to listen to in order to pass the time quickly (ha!) went from bland to downright pathetic, and I ended up settling (and that is the right word) for a strange "BMW Audiophiles" CD. I imagined this was at some point given to BMW owners-- perchance the very dentist who's office I was patronizing-- to test out their new car's luxury sound system, and perhaps under those circumstances it was great, but in my case, it was downright horrendous. I couldn't even fall asleep to it as the soporific instrumental songs were cruelly interspersed with strange Irish/Mexican chants of a non-Gregorian nature.

So the light is shining, I can't move my head, and I can't fall asleep. At least it doesn't hurt.

30 minutes pass. I hear some sort of kitchen egg timer go off in the background, followed by more beeps from the Brite Smile machine, and then the laser shuts off. "This can't be it?!" I think to myself, as though I can't see what's going on, I can deduce my teeth are not whiter yet. A few minutes later, the hygienist comes in (notice the lack of dentist mentions-- she never once came in, never), and paints my teeth again with the bad breath juice, then leaves me to my own devices again. She doesn't tell me how many more times I have to do this cycle.

After the third of these ~30 minute sessions, I wanted life to end. I'm normally a non-violent person, but the idea of biting out someone's jugular both suddenly popped into my head *and* became appealing. Surely, after nearly 2 hours, I must have been done with this "hour long" procedure.

Wrong! The receptionist (!) comes back in, coats me down again, and starts the machine back up. At least she tells me this is my last go-round. Nevertheless, I'm starting to get cold sweats imagining my escape route. I remind myself of how much I paid for this procedure and I try to soldier on...

Until it feels like one of teeth had a grenade go off on it. I get a horrendous, unexpected jab from one of my upper teeth. It feels like when you bite into an ice cold ice cream bar on a sensitive tooth-- but about 10 worse. The pain is fleeting and shirking that side away from the laser convinces me I have things under control. More time passes. Another jabbing pain, this time from another tooth. My mouth feels warm. The little saliva suction thingy is starting to go into overdrive as my mouth waters in reaction to the apparently haphazard but significant pain. I soldier on, thinking that 30 minutes must be up soon.

After celebrating 3 or 4 birthdays in that chair, the machine finally shuts off. Good thing too, as my teeth were starting to spike pain like a symphony.

She takes the shades off, and starts comparing my teeth. A few shades whiter she exclaims, then takes another picture. They give me some Sensodyne toothpaste and a little card that basically says to avoid all dark and potentially tooth-staining foods for 24 hours. They try to upsell me on the Brite Smile Pen touch up kit. No thanks. I've had enough Brite Smile, and oh yeah, I'm in agonizing pain.

Before the procedure I was assured the "sensitivity" (which is what they call this grenadue action), would last no more than a few hours. During the preparation for the procedure, this estimate was upped to 24 hours. And afterwards, she told me that it could go on for 48 hours, and to pop 2 ibuprofen's anytime it bugged me.

I was presented with a mirror-- I could see a difference, but it wasn't dramatic. My teeth were fairly white to begin with, so I suppose I should be happy with any progress. But the pain and the interminable multi-hour procedure were not worth it for me in the end.And where the hell was the dentist?

Brite Smile gets "thumbs down"
A review by Pamelalynn on BriteSmile
December 14th, 2004

I went into the tooth whitening experience very hopeful, wanting my teeth to be whiter than their normal off-white shade. My technician was experienced; however the product did not live up to its promises, at least for me. The tech took before & after pictures of my teeth & they looked a half shade lighter in the after view. She told me that my teeth had a very "natural" look to them after the procedure. But I wanted a white color, not a natural color (which I had in the first place)! I was disappointed with her comment but didn't complain because I was happy to have the process finished - it took over 2 hrs. & was more uncomfortable than I had imagined. Having my mouth open & gums stretched for that long didn't feel good to me. And when I got home & looked in the mirror I was further disappointed, not to mention the sharp tooth pains I experienced for 24 hrs. after the dental visit. If the end result would have been different I might have felt that the discomfort had been worth it. But to pay $600 for this "failed experiment" was certainly money down the drain. 
A review by cecilia78 on BriteSmile
July 11th, 2003
After the BriteSmile treatment, which cost a bom! My teeth still looks as yellow as before. I'm really disappointed. I feel very cheated and mislead.
The only difference now is that my teeth looks cleaner NOT WHITER. Clean but yellow. That is not what is promised by BriteSmile in the advisement. If i wanted my teeth to be clean, i could have done some simple scaling. Besides that, the back part of my teeth still looks dirty compared to the front few tooth. I think it is because the back tooth is hard to reach compared to the front tooth.
Sad to say, this is all advertisement gimmicks. "Get whiter teeth in just 60 mins!" - Liar. Now, i owned a SadSmile with a hole burned in my pocket.  

Well, before undergoing this treatment last night, I read the reviews posted here however I decided to go for it...
I am getting married in two weeks and for some time now I have wished for whiter teeth in photos etc so it seemed like the perfect excuse.
I am 26 now and although my teeth are in very good condition, they were a just-off shade of white (I don't smoke or drink tea/coffee).
During my initial consultation, the dentist agreed that they were indeed already white (3 shades up from white on the chart) so the most I could expect was to remove the slight yellow tinge.
I was warned about possible gum irritation and tooth sensitivity which could follow for 24 hours, so for the actual treatment I bought some over the counter co-codamol just in case.
The Treatment
Ok, so I anticipated some discomfort after reading the reviews here, but to be honest I din't find the actual experience that bad.
I had 4 lots of 20 minute applications (one extra to really notice a difference but at no extra charge). I even managed to fall asleep about an hour in as I was in a lying-down position listening to nice music. I did find the mouth piece a bit uncomfortable on my lips at first but this quickly wore off. I admit my mouth felt like it had everything but the kitchen sink in there, but my theory is no pain no gain.
Following the treatment my teeth were very white and I felt happy with the results. Someone with very discouloured teeth would probably notice much more of a difference though.
Then The Pain...
I got home last night at 8pm. The sensitivity pain started in one of my bottom teeth at about 8.30pm for which I took some co-codamol. 2 hours later the pain had spread to all my lower teeth and by the time I got in bed there was no chance of any sleep. It actually felt as though I had a thousand needles stabbing my teeth. At this point, I could no longer tolerate the pain and so rung my local out of hours doctor who advised that as it was a dental issue I had to visit A&E. I drove myself there (hubby was at home with our 2 children) and luckily I was seen pretty soon. I was literally in tears by this point. I suffer from terrible migraines and I can honestly say that the pain was now much worse than a migraine.
I was given some very strong co-codamol tablets and sent home to see how it was today. I spent most of the night in moderate pain, however the tablets did take the edge off. This morning at 7.30am I was relieved to find the pain had mostly subsided. My teeth still feel very 'dry' and at this point I wouldn't dare have a hot drink.
Conclusion...
I expected the worse from this treatment (from side-effects) which is exactly what I got. I am very happy with my teeth, however at this point I am not sure how long the whiteness will last although I plan to look after them and top-up with a home whitening kit.

Review of BriteSmile by kaizaddinshaw
I had the britesmile procedure done yesterday. The results are doubtlessly good, but at a price. I have had tooth sensitivity like i have never experienced before in my life!! Its awesome to look at my white smile, but i wonder if i could go through with something like this ever again. Just too painful.
I'm 95% sure this is what my sister did 10 days ago. She said she saw it on TV, and described it exactly like you did (1 hour, up to 9 shades, about $500). She said it really takes 3 hours, because they have to keep setting up separate bleaching sessions. (You have multiple bleaching sessions during your one visit to the office.) They warned her that she might get a "shock" feeling now and then, as if she had bitten on tin foil with her fillings. She said she got LOTS of them!

But then, when she left, the shocks increased in intensity! She went to the grocery store afterwards (you can only eat and drink CLEAR items, such as 7-up, for 12 hours afterwards), and she said the shocks were so bad that she was moaning out loud in the store. She couldn't stop from moaning, even when the cashier checked her out. She rushed home and took some radical pain killers she had left from surgery (I can't remember the name of them, but they're the kind that all the stars get addicted to), and that wasn't strong enough. She finally took a shot of whiskey (which she hates), even though she knew it was a bad idea with the pain killer. She said she didn't care if she died, at that point! She had a terrible night, and she says that the results were already fading by the next day! When she called the dentist about that, he told her that can happen. It is now about 10 days later, and she says they're only about 1/2 shade lighter (and she used to smoke and drink a lot of coffee), and it sure was NOT WORTH IT! So definitely talk to someone who has gone through it before you do. All that pain, all that money and time, for practically nothing.
I called my sister last night, and it WAS BrightSmile! And it took closer to 4 hours to do. She said her teeth weren't that yellow to begin with (despite the smoking and coffee), so maybe it would make a bigger difference in your teeth. But she said she definitely wishes she had NEVER done it! The PAIN was just too awful!

I figured I would check out a BriteSmile teeth whitening promotion offered by my dentist. After filling out all of the required paperwork I settled in for the treatment — three, 15 minute sessions with a special light and bleaching gel. The first treatment went smoothly, but by the second treatment several of my teeth felt as though they would "vibrate" right out of my head! I have suffered from sensitive teeth for years (affected by cold and sinus issues) but I wasn't prepared for this! The pain was intense and intermittent. When I would begin to think it was subsiding it would hit me again out of the blue. I "bit the bullet" through the final treatment, my finger chalk-white from gripping the armrests so tightly. Afterwards I was given some painkillers but I became nauseous just thinking about the pain that would return out of the blue. This lasted for about 24 hours, after which I did notice a difference in the appearance of my smile but I sincerely doubt I'd ever go through that process again.
--Giovanni Gordon, Cleveland, Ohio (submitted on Oct. 18, 2006)