Barely Alive After BriteSmile

3/31/09 Tuesday, 8:00AM Teeth Cleaning w/J – Florida Licensed Dental Hygienist for Dr. B,DMD. Had requested no early appointment too much traffic.4/16/09 12:00pm – 3:00pm Bleaching, J teaching C to do it. Asked re:bleach H2O2 or chlorine? I was unaware of tx – fearful of problem with my eyes due to post surgery status. No DDS on site. Was told, “No problem.” Kept eyes closed the entire time.1.Secured in chair – head placed in “holder” to prevent movement
2.Mouth (jaw) stretcher in place – “uncomfortable” “stuff” in mouth, lips, inside
3.Given a “door bell” with a button to push if I needed help. I was apprehensive when told I would be left alone during procedure – 20 minutes! And that they would be nearby.
4.Trays in mouth by C
5.Machine placed against my mouth – EYES CLOSED! J was telling C what to do with trays, etc., I did not see anything that they did.They left the room – sounded as if they went down the hall to the left – soon mumbled distant sounds – talking, laughing and possibly TV or “game” noises.Very quickly the chemicals in my mouth became hot and foamed up and bubbled down my face under my chin and behind my right ear and in hair – it was burning me – more went down my chest and under my left breast.BUT – large amounts ran down my throat and burned my esophagus. It felt like my stomach also – I was drowning! Frantically, I pushed the button but no one answered. I was sure I was about to die by drowning and the pain and burns were beyond endurance.I began banging the button on the machine but there was too much noise in the distance to hear the {my} alarm. A young sounding girl came in (I did not know her voice). She gave me two towels to mop up my neck, hair and chest. She wiped up my face and put ointment on it, {saying} “You’ll be fine.”I indicated that I was NOT fine and that I was severely burning in my chest and face and mouth and stomach and throat. {She said} “It will be okay.” The two {hygienists} returned – it had been well past 20 minutes, by a long shot. They made light of what happened. I was very angry that they left me alone in such a vulnerable position – trapped and never responding to the help button. They gave me water after I requested it and I drank about 10 ounces but it did not relieve any of the pain that was by now “substernal “ and felt like a heart attack. I was also short of breath. {They said} “Don’t worry.” I rested about 20 minutes and regrouped.I did not want a repeat experience. I asked if the dentist could see me {but was told} he was not there. It entered my mind that the caustic “stuff” was also toxic. “Did I need to go to the E.R.? I asked. “No, no, you’ll be fine in a few minutes. It will subside.”Next – repeat same procedure.The trays did not fit well – I believed they were supposed to be molded to my teeth - guess not. Maybe they were not mine? This time lots of “stuff” all over my face, neck, and chest. It was a healing gel!This time a new bell – “it should work” it was on a heavy white cord and had a bullet on the end like old hospital buzzers. Again, they left. “We will be outside the door, don’t worry.” I now feel like I must have been crazy to permit them to continue the process. Again they vanished. The stuff boiled over worse that before. I frantically pushed the new alarm button, but no one responded. The other person called the culprits and they arrived in a full-blown panic.They both (at the same time) began to tug at the trays causing more stuff down my throat. The trays would not release. I hit one of them and tried to stop them from pulling. Indicated one at a time.I was cold, shivering, shocky – my heart was pounding. Thank God I had a pacemaker. C unattached me from the chair and lifted me out to the sink. I had numerous towels and I flushed my mouth, nose and face and rinsed with some mouthwash. I sat in a nearby chair and drank something. “We have one more to do.” “No way” I could barely speak or swallow.I was so cold and faint C walked me out to a desk in the front of the building. I was standing in front of it. There was a young woman behind the desk. J came “happily” down the hall and was reassuring me. I was fine from a distance – she was behind me – when she arrived she slapped me hard on my butt. I lurched forward against the desk. The lady behind it said, “What are you thinking?” as she grabbed me to keep me from falling. Here’s her answer: “Patty-Pat likes her butt slapped, don’t you Miss Pat?” I wanted to get out of there alive.I held on to furniture and made my way to the exit. J followed me and gave me a shiny black bag to take with me.No one helped me to my car, nor down the stairs. I was on my own. I had to open the trunk to get my purse. At that time, I must have put the bag in the trunk. It was very hot in the car. I sat there over a half-hour trying to warm up and stop shaking. The burning pain was excruciating and I was drooling.I went to the I-HOP near my home. I needed food to sooth the burning. Another customer helped me out of the car and the manager assisted me to my usual booth. I drank two glasses of milk with half-and-half in it. I ate 2 soft scrambled eggs and some grits. I needed band-aids for my gut.My lips were swelling and blisters were forming on my face and under my chin. My jaws, right side up and down, hurt and all my teeth hurt. They assisted me to my car and I drove home. I drank Maalox and I called my doctor. He was gone for the day. His nurse recalled me and suggested I continue what I was doing and perhaps I needed to go to the ER.I called the ER and asked about poison control as I knew the chemicals were caustic as well as toxic. They had no info on the products or procedures I had undergone.My DDS was out of the country fishing and would be back Monday. I called my son and he came over after work. “Mom, you are a mess.” The burns were getting worse. I had some of that expensive heavy white burn paste and I smeared it all over the burns. NEXIUMq6.0. from my right eye to behind my ear was tender and red and my side of my nose was blistered.I finally was able to fall asleep sitting up after I took a Tylenol#3 that I have for PRN Fibromyalgia. I woke up a few hours later when my husband called from Texas and he was furious that “Dr. B” had a set-up of incompetents and no one covering the practice.On Friday, I called my Texas DDS and he was shocked and alarmed. He suggested I take baking soda and water and swish and swallow every few hours.At 9:00PM I had sharp shooting abdominal pains and diarrhea for the rest of the night. I was so weak I laid on the bathroom floor with my pillows and blankets and my dog who was very nervous. I had a terrific headache and was nauseous. Morning came and I made cream of farina and put sugar and cream on it. It felt good. Soon after the diarrhea returned. My son brought me plain yogurt and cottage cheese and real grits and eggs. I had a mashed potato and eggs and a cup of tea with sugar and cream. I slept and awoke in a cold sweat – doubled over in pain. I took a Rx and mild and slept 8-9 hours.The weekend I was oblivious. At 7:30AM Monday, I called Dr. B for an emergency appointment. I got J. “He is too busy to see you.” I said, “He better not be. I am on my way now.” She said, “No, don’t come, he is not here.” I asked if he was back from vacation. She said he was. “I’ll call you later.” She never called back.
If you had a similar experience or a have another comment you can email me.