You know how you always see those Hollywood celebrities with their perfect smiles?
So perfect, big, flashy white and all?
Oh, well, after hesitating for quite some time, I finally decided to give it a go.
Unfinished Business
Just to share, I initially booked an appointment with another dentist in Cheras. It was scheduled for 7 January, just before our Russian party. I had hoped that I’d make my grand entrance with a flashy white smile. Sadly the dentist had to reschedule and I finally decided to cancel and ask them to refund me.
I mean seriously, firstly I asked for an earlier appointment in December, they said there were no slots available and 7 January was the only available date. Apparently, they only provide whitening treatment on weekdays. So I made payment in advance.
When the date arrived, they cancelled it and asked me to come in the middle of January. Then when a new dentist came in, Dr Aiman, he offered another free session and was willing to do the session on a weekend.
Mmmm… it’s okay-lah, Dr Aiman, perhaps another time. I was honestly not happy with the way the Clinic Manager (assuming she was the one who responded to all Whatsapp enquiries) handled the situation. It was only an RM3XX refund, it shouldn’t take weeks!
i-Sihat Dental Care Setapak
Anyway, I saw one of those Instagram ads and decided to book an express whitening treatment with I-Sihat Dental Care Setapak which was actually in the same row as the famous charkuetiow place, Mali’s Corner.
I dropped them a text to find out more about the whitening promotions they offered and here’s what I was informed
- Scaling – RM80
- Express scaling and whitening – RM259. Can last for 3 to 6 months.
- Korean Whitening
- 1 cycle – RM188
- 2 cycles – RM350
- 3 cycles – RM499. Can last for 8 to 10 months. However, there’s a possibility of teeth sensitivity
- GLO American Whitening RM799. Can last for more than a year with no sensitivity.
So, being a cheap-ass B*, I thought, why don’t we try the Express Whitening Package first. It was only RM259 and if I didn’t like it, I can always try another option.
My appointment was booked at 8.00 pm Monday, 31 January, yup, Chinese New Year’s Eve, so I thought I might enjoy a brighter smile to last me until my birthday in April.
That very Monday, I was busy cooking with Hana Banana in the afternoon when I received a text from the clinic around 6.30 pm asking me to come earlier, which I thought was even better news.
I got changed and arrived around 7.15 pm, considering it was only a few kilometres away from my place.
I never recalled seeing the clinic there before, so I asked the receptionist. Ahaaaa, it was opened just in November 2021. No wonder they were running quite a promo.
Anyway if you must know, the dentist clinic was so pretty, it looked more like a fancy spa than the usual hospital-like setting. So, Instagrammers will be very happy to take photos and all.
The journey to a set of whiter teeth
So, I waited. In fact, I waited until 8.00 pm when the dentist finally called me in. According to one of the personnel, there was an emergency procedure taking place earlier. I actually made it known to the dentist about the wait. She didn’t apologise but she asked her assistant to inform her next time if a patient has arrived earlier.
Anyway, the dentist explained to me about the express whitening procedure. She said, considering my teeth condition, even an express procedure should result in something significant. Okay, I thought, if the dentist was confident, I should be too.
Dental care tips after a whitening procedure
She did share some tips that I can list down here in case you’re looking at going for a teeth whitening procedure too.
- The teeth will become porous after the treatment so it’s best to avoid coloured food for the next 48 to 72 hours. Whether it’s coffee, curry, sambal, anything with colour, just avoid it.
- In case, like me, you’re a coffee lover and can’t live without a sip of Java, use a straw.
- The teeth might become a little sensitive after treatment but the feeling should subside in the next couple of days. Soft food is advisable.
So, the scaling and polishing didn’t take long. I had to redo one of the fillings in the back. That was an additional RM100. And finally, the dentist started the teeth whitening procedure. It was my first time, mind you, so I wasn’t quite prepared for the almost-choking-on-your-own-saliva experience and all, haha!
All and all, about an hour later, I was done.
The aftermath
Sadly when the dentist gave me a mirror, I wasn’t too happy with the result. She did say it should give a significant result, considering the colour of my teeth (not exactly yellow, but not that white either).
Oh, well, I can always go to another dentist and try another whitening treatment. But please remember, that there should be a 6-month gap between treatments if, like me, you’re unhappy with your whitening treatment too. So, before you sign up for any package, make sure that you ask as many questions to your dentist. It’s your teeth and you’re paying for it, so go crazy and do your research.
Never mind, now that you know the risk of express whitening, you might want to consider a stronger treatment. It may cost you a bit more, but at least, you wouldn’t have to wait 6 months for another appointment.
I could write more about my disappointment but I don’t believe in destroying reputation or affecting other people’s business.
That’s all from me, folks!
XOXO,
#ParisAshiqin
