Whether you’re the Bride, Groom, Maid of Honour, Best Man, or a regular wedding guest, your smile is one ‘accessory’ you’ll want to show off with pride on the big day. Take a look at our top tips for nailing the perfect, dazzling white smile for wedding pictures that you’ll treasure forever!

Weddings are undisputedly happy affairs; members of the wedding party and guests alike will be beaming from ear to ear from start to finish, so you must make sure you’re teeth are up to the task! For many people though, ‘baring all’ in the smile department is something that doesn’t come naturally, especially for those who are embarrassed by their teeth.

Bad teeth shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your big day though. Whether it’s a severe case of crooked teeth, stained and missing teeth, or just light staining that can be overcome with a simple whitening procedure; a little planning and investment in your smile now, can go a long way to making you look and feel great come wedding time.

Plan Your Smile Makeover Well In Advance

If you have particularly bad teeth and are considering a complete smile makeover before your wedding it is important to make an appointment with a cosmetic dentist as soon as you can. With advances in cosmetic dentistry making procedures more accessible and affordable, dentists can work wonders with your smile – but it takes time.

Crowns and bridges may only take a couple of weeks from start to finish, but complete veneer smile makeovers may require up to 4 weeks and braces can take many months to achieve the desired results! Often the investment in your Wedding smile can be one of the most worthwhile ones lasting for many years to come.

Get ‘White Wedding’ Ready

If you’re pretty happy with the way your teeth look but want to supercharge your smile ready for the big day, a whitening package from your dentist is probably the best way to go. There are several whitening options available ranging from laser treatment performed at the dentist’s surgery to take-home bleaching trays that work while you sleep.

Depending on your circumstances, and the condition of your teeth, your dentist will recommend the best whitening treatment for you. Some of the most popular whitening procedures include:

Zoom Laser Whitening

Zoom is a “simple ‘in-surgery’ procedure that is safe, effective and clinically proven to whiten up to eight shades in just one hour.” A whitening gel is applied to the teeth followed by timed exposure to the Zoom laser light. Following the procedure, your dentist will provide you with take-home trays to further boost the results of the treatment. For more information about the Zoom whitening procedure and aftercare click here.

Enlighten Deep Bleaching

Enlighten teeth whitening is the most highly developed whitening system on the market and takes approximately 3 weeks from start to finish. Moulds of your teeth are taken and used to construct special patented sealed whitening trays at the Enlighten Smiles Laboratory, this takes around 10 days. You take the trays home along with a supply of deep-bleaching Enlighten gel and wear the trays with the gel overnight for 14 days. Being a longer process, Enlighten Deep Bleaching is not as instantaneous as Zoom, but the results tend to be more dramatic with a greater depth of bleaching giving much whiter results.

Be Savvy With Your Food Choices

So you’ve had your smile makeover and you’ve whitened to perfection, the last thing you want to do is undo all your dedication and the dentists’ hard work by making bad food and drink choices in the days and weeks leading up to the big day! Many foods and drinks can stain your teeth or lead to discolouration over time so knowing which ‘nasties’ to avoid in the run-up to your wedding, and on the day itself, will ensure your pearly whites stay sparkling throughout!

Coffee

Avoid Black Coffee – adding a little milk will help to lighten the colour of your coffee and therefore the darkness of potential stains.

Tea

Substitute Your Tea – tea contains tannic acids that cause external teeth staining. Choosing a more alkaline option such as green tea will help to reduce the severity of stains.

Red Wine

Brush BEFORE Wine, Not After – wine clings to and stains the plaque on your teeth, so brushing before you start drinking will help to reduce the risk of ‘wine smile’. For those of you that adore the red stuff, there are plenty more clever tips and tricks for avoiding wine-stained teeth here.

Curry

NOT The Best Spice – curry powder is sticky and will cling to your teeth causing a change in the surface colour. If spice is your thing though, why not try wasabi instead? Wasabi contains isothiocyanates which inhibit the growth of cavity-causing bacteria.

Blueberries

Super Berries Through A Straw – blueberries are cited as a ‘superfood’ packed with antioxidants and essential nutrients, but the deep colour of these powerful berries can also darken your teeth. To reduce the risk of staining via direct tooth contact try a blueberry smoothie instead and drink it through a straw.

Whiten At Home The Night Before

There are loads of at-home teeth whitening products available that you can buy and do yourself. Even if you’ve had a professional whitening treatment done by your dentist in the months leading up to the wedding, a quick at-home boost the night before the big day will help give your smile a last-minute lift.

Whitening strips are easy to use and widely available on the high street. Always consult your dentist before beginning any whitening treatments and if you’ve had a whitening procedure in the past always check how long you should wait before carrying out further treatments. Often however the over-the-counter teeth whitening products will not have the same effect as the potent prescription-only teeth whitening product which only dentists are licensed to prescribe.

Brides – Choose The Right Make-up

No doubt your wedding make-up will be well thought out, tried and tested before the big day but did you know your make-up can also help to enhance your smile and further highlight a set of dazzling white teeth?

Clear Skin

Beautiful, clear, blemish-free skin will always help teeth look whiter. Having a facial 3-4 weeks before the wedding will help to cleanse your skin and leave it in tip-top condition ready for the big day.

Lipstick

Certain lipstick colours can help make your teeth look whiter too. Red lipstick in particular is great for providing a sharp contrast alongside white teeth. For more subtle colours like pinks and corals, anything with a ‘blue’ base will contrast against white teeth well – avoid ‘orange-based colours. For a more in-depth exploration of lippy colours to make your teeth shine bright check out this article.

Jenny Kabir, the Clinical Director and the team at Fresh Dental Smile Clinic offer bespoke wedding smile makeover services that can make you look your best for your special day. From a few fillings and a teeth whitening treatment to a full smile makeover using dental implants, veneers, bridges and porcelain crowns, the team at the Smile Clinic can cater to your every need. For more information about smile makeovers and wedding whitening packages Book a Free Consultation