I Tried Professional Teeth Whitening—Here's What It's Like

Between the coffee dates, wine on the weekends, and a Diet Coke habit, your teeth might be due for a professional teeth whitening. Whitening your teeth is one of the easiest ways to improve your smile—and that's why one of our editors went and got the treatment for herself.

There's a bit to worry about with getting your teeth professionally whitened: Does it hurt? Do you have to stop drinking your morning latte forever? We've answered those questions below, and then some.

Keep scrolling to read everything the pros want you to know about professional laser teeth whitening. 

What Is Laser Teeth Whitening?

For decades, getting your teeth whitened involved soaking them in a hydrogen peroxide-based solution, which lifted stains but required several treatments to see results. Thanks to technology, that process has been sped up, with lasers spurring on the chemical reaction of the solution—and whitening teeth in significantly less time. One of the most common laser teeth whitening procedures, Zoom teeth whitening, is a process by which a light-activated 25 percent hydrogen peroxide gel is applied to the teeth before a blue plasma light activates the solution. It is only offered in-office.

"Some people's teeth are dark because they have internal stains on the tooth, not on the surface," says Marc Lowenberg, DDS. "Surface stains come off, but the deeper stains embedded in the enamel are what comes off during in-office treatments when the oxygen molecules from our Zoom light are released from hydrogen peroxide, which causes the stains to break up and dilute, which makes the teeth whiter.”

Sadly, even in-office professional whitening may not work on everyone: "The marketing of this industry is so convincing, making everyone feel like they can get whiter teeth," Lowenberg emphasizes. "However, lots of the results have to do with the genetic makeup of your teeth. Some people's teeth are dark because they've stained over the years, and others' teeth are dark genetically—just like the color of your eyes. Sometimes you just can't whiten your teeth enough to see an obvious difference. You never know with anyone until you actually do it. You can sit here through the whole process and not see any difference, or sometimes you'll see a great difference—this varies from person to person."

What to Expect During a Laser Teeth Whitening Treatment

As soon as I walked into his office, I was greeted with a big smile by Lowenberg, who has a star-studded lineup of smiles under his belt. A few minutes after meeting me, he gave me the lowdown on all things Zoom teeth whitening, including the zoom light and high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide that would be used to create my whiter smile.

At the start of the procedure, an employee took a mold of my teeth to create a custom tray for my mouth, which I'd need after I left (more on that later). They gave me safety eyewear and set up a contraption inside my mouth to protect my gums from the strength of the hydrogen peroxide. Lowenberg's partner, Brian Kantor, DDS, did the honors for my first session, applying bleach to my teeth and explaining the process.

My teeth were positioned in place, and I didn't move for 15 minutes at a time during each session. Kantor checked in on my teeth periodically and applied more bleach after each one to ensure I'd get the best and brightest results possible. Toward the end of my procedure, I started feeling sharp electric shocks. According to Kantor, these feelings were normal and were signs of my teeth's sensitivity to the high percentage of hydrogen peroxide. The shocks were bearable, just a tad uncomfortable. Afterward, Kantor and Lowenberg revealed my results, and to say I was happy and thoroughly impressed would be an understatement. I could not stop staring at them. My teeth were shades brighter than what they were before.

At-Home Whitening vs. In-Office Whitening

Kantor breaks down the difference between treating teeth stains with at-home versus in-office treatments. "Things like oil-pulling, white strips, whitening toothpastes, and charcoal-based cleaners to whiten your teeth are removing surface stains and making your teeth appear whiter," explains Kantor. "Those products don't actually bleach your teeth like professional teeth whitening. What determines how white your teeth are going to get is how concentrated the hydrogen peroxide is, which is a bleaching agent. With our treatment, the peroxide is remaining isolated on your teeth for a significant period of time."

"When we're doing it in the office, we're using 35 percent hydrogen peroxide," says Lowenberg. "When you do it at home, it can be anywhere from 7 percent to 10 percent. When you're doing an in-office treatment, there's a much better chance that your teeth will whiten." Lowenberg recommends coming for an in-office treatment every six months. You can use the at-home, customized tray to whiten your teeth once a month.

Side Effects of Laser Teeth Whitening

The biggest side effect of laser teeth whitening is sensitivity—both in the sense that your teeth will be more sensitive to temperatures (you might wince a little from anything too hot or cold) and may be more sensitive to staining. In fact, I was advised not to eat any colorful foods or beverages for the next week since they could stain my teeth—a hard task. "Right after your teeth are professionally whitened, you can't eat or drink anything with color," Lowenberg told me as my eyes widened. "Don't eat things like spaghetti with marinara sauce, red wine, ketchup, or blueberries. If you're a coffee or tea drinker and you absolutely can't go without it, drink it through a straw. After five days, the new color of your teeth is locked in."

For those who absolutely can't resist the urge to drink red wine after a whitening, Lowenberg suggests an old-school trick that works: rub Vaseline on the fronts of your teeth. "The Vaseline will act as a barrier so it won't allow the liquids that stain teeth to permeate the teeth. Also, if you're going to drink red wine, coffee, or tea, it is imperative that you immediately drink water afterward so that the residue doesn't sit on your teeth and you're washing it away with water."

Aftercare

It's important to note that one treatment doesn't mean your teeth are eternally white. "The bleaching doesn't last forever," says Lowenberg. "We can whiten your teeth in the office, but eventually, it fades back. In order to maintain it, we make you customized trays that you take home with you. Once your teeth are white, you can do it once a month for a half-hour—this will maintain the whiteness."

I was instructed to use my customized tray and apply a lower dosage of peroxide on my teeth for 30 minutes for seven days straight post-procedure to maintain the look of my icy whites. I was also given soothing gel in case I experienced those tingly, shock sensations in my gums again.

The Final Takeaway

Even two weeks after my session, my teeth were still frosty white. And Lowenberg offered a tip to maintain the color: "The best way to keep your teeth as white as they can be from surface stains is by mixing a fresh batch of Arm & Hammer baking soda powder and liquid hydrogen peroxide. Be sure to mix it to the consistency of toothpaste. If you brush your teeth with that, it'll remove all surface stains.”

If it's been on your mind for a while, this honest laser teeth whitening review hopefully inspires you to take the plunge. If you want to ease into your teeth whitening process before trying an in-office treatment, try the below products to help remove surface stains.