Post Zoom Whitening, What Can I Do to Alleviate the Pain?

Zoom whitening works great for many people, but it can be really sensitive for others.

You are doing the right thing-start with Ibuprofen, then work up to something strong if necessary. Some people do need a prescription painkiller like Vicodin.

 

Sometimes prescription strength Fluoride can help speed up the process of feeling better. If you have any whitening trays, you can put it in them and wear them for 10 minutes. Try not to rinse out afterwards. (If you have trays do NOT put any whitening gel in them until your teeth are felling great again!).

 

Unfortunately there are some people who Zoom whitening makes feel very sensitive. In my experience, it improves a lot in 24 hours, and ought to be almost completely gone within 48 hours.

 

The key to whitening is to match your teeth and comfort to the right style of whitening. 

Usually a greater concentration of bleaching agent is used for instant bleaching results. This bleaching solution should contact only the teeth enamel and not any soft tissue. Tooth sensitivity is transient. You should be relieved in a day or 2.  Gum pain due to the chemical spreading on the gums if not taken care by the dentist can be very severe in the first 6 to 8 hours. Starts immediately during the procedure and Brufen alone is not enough. Mefenemic acid tablet can be tried. Sometimes if the pain is still unbearable,  You may need to rush to your dentist to get long acting Local anaesthetic injected in that area.  That should help you not to feel the pain for atleast 5 to 6 hours. After 12 hours this gum burning pain will vanish totally.

Sensitivity following Zoom Teeth Whitening is usually transient and almost always gets ok within the first 2 days. During this time you may use Ibuprofen to help alleviate the pain. You could also use a desensitising toothpaste to help with the pain. Your dentist may also give you a desensitising gel, with custom made trays to wear if the pain is too much.

The good news sensitivity after Zoom Whitenning is a temporary event and should disappear after 24 hours. Stay away from hot and cold drinks and food or whatever makes them sensetive meanwhile.
You also can try desentesizing medications, which your dentist can provide.

I am so sorry to hear about your pain with Zoom and  the worst part...your dentist should have discussed the pros and cons of Zoom before he whitened your teeth. Zoom is a good product. We do NOT use if often because there are many people who experience sensitivity afterward and ultimately associate whitening with pain.  We do not want that!  The good news is the pain will not last forever!  Continue to take the Ibuprofen and go back to your dentist and have him give you flouride to put in your trays which  may alleviate the pain.  All whitening agents DO NOT cause this. Whiter Image is a great product and we have no complaints from any patient yet. Zoom is just a product that was marketed to death and became synonymous with whitieniing. Now everyone asks for it. Next time be sure to discuss any dental procedure with your dentist before you do it!

By the time you read this answer, your pain will be dimished or totally gone. Most patients do not experience the pain you described, but those that do, usually are back to normal approximately 7-8 hours later.