[bahamas]

I removed my braces 2 weeks ago and i desperately needed a teeth whitening treatment but the cost in Dental offices was really high since i am student and i am only working part time.
A friend of mine suggested me to get it done in Vaughan mall. Not knowing what to expect since it was my first time to undergo such procedure i booked an i appointment.
I went there and i saw that the service was offered in the middle of the mall. No privacy whatsoever. I was amazed by the ability of these sales persons to convince you that everything was safe and the procedure was the same as in dental office. Even-though i was very skeptic i decided to try it. I was instructed to do everything my self and in 20 minutes it was over.
Results ?? I didn't see any, i paid $100 and i left.
The next day went to see my dentist because because of severe pain on my lower teeth. After explaining to him what caused the pain he said i was supposed to check my teeth first if i was a good candidate for whitening then consider whitening treatment. I had a very tinny invisible crack on my tooth that it was supposed to be avoided during the whitening treatment.( at the mall kiosk they didnt even check if i had any problems) According to my dentists teeth whitening gel can cause severe sensitivity if a special protection gel is not applied in areas that are exposed like gums or lips. He said that only licensed dental professionals are legally allowed to place such protection gels.

I researched a little bit about this whitening business and i found out that mall kiosks and spa salons in Toronto are allowed to perform this treatment because it is considered a cosmetic procedure.There are so many of them and they are not regulated.
They are not supposed to touch you, perform an oral examination or apply professional teeth whitening material.

There are hundreds of non regulated Spa's or kiosks that perform this treatment in Toronto. The price could be tempting but be careful because if something happens you will go thru some hot pain for days.

In US they are trying to shut them down already...while they have just started in Toronto

Here is what American Dental Association says:
http://justsmile.ca/why-teeth-whitening-by-dental-professionals/
Whatch this video ABC news report investigation Video

 

[Peepers]

Good advice

 

[vefilmizle1]

Thank you very much, a really nice sharing

 

[Electrify]

You should try and see if you can get any legal advice. Does your school offer any legal services?

 

[bahamas]

No my school doesn't offer any legal aid and i don't have time to deal with courts

 

[smileaction]

Hello Bahamas

First of i would like to say that your experience is horrible. I am going to try and explain further why you experienced these side effects, and what should you know about teeth whitening before you decide to get it done. May be this information will be helpful to others.

I removed my braces 2 weeks ago and i desperately needed a teeth whitening treatment

There are certain contraindications to teeth whitening treatment and one of them is orthodontic patients. You are not supposed to get a whitening treatment done for at least 3 months after the orthodontic treatment. While on braces your enamel is weakened due to poor oral hygiene caused by the inability to floss and brush properly.

The next day went to see my dentist because because of severe pain on my lower teeth. I had a very tinny invisible crack on my tooth

An open cavity, visible or invisible cracks on your enamel are supposed to be detected by a dentist or dental hygienist prior to teeth whitening. You can not apply Hydrogen peroxide gel on these conditions. This is the reason you got severe pain. If the person performing the treatment is not a licensed dental professional, he/she can not detect or perform any intraoral manipulations because it is against the law. It is considered practicing dentistry without a license and they do not have the expertise to detect these enamel cracks.

I researched a little bit about this whitening business and i found out that mall kiosks and spa salons in Toronto are allowed to perform this treatment because it is considered a cosmetic procedure.

Yes it is true anyone can perform a teeth whitening treatment as long as they ONLY instruct the patient how to do it, and use teeth whitening gel UP TO 16 % HP (what dental offices use is 35% concentration. 35 % is stronger and gives way better results. This type of gel can only be purchased by licensed dental professionals)

If you are looking to get a whitening treatment done i would suggest you:
Safety is #1. Make sure to get your teeth checked before whitening by a dentist or dental hygienist.
Its always better to get it done by a dental professional. If you can not afford it then look for new dental offices that offer cheaper service (they want to attract new clients)

Hope this was helpful
Any questions i will be glad to help