Are you engaged, planning your wedding and thinking about what your smile will look like in your wedding photos? Whether you want to make cosmetic changes to your teeth or you just want to make sure they’re healthy before the big day, there are a couple things to keep in mind.
Come for a consultation
Especially if you’re thinking about cosmetic changes, attend a dental consultation early. You don’t want to be rushing things right at the last minute (there are enough things to stress about!) or find that your desired results can’t be achieved as there isn’t enough time. For example, veneers can take a couple of months from start to finish with proper planning, while tooth straightening or realignment can take months to a couple of years depending on the complexity.
Treat any issues
We want to ensure that your teeth are healthy, free from gum disease (periodontal disease) or decay (dental caries). Regular check-ups and cleans may help lower your risk of an unexpected problem during your wedding planning or honeymoon. Additionally, making sure your teeth and gums are healthy is important if you’re wanting a cosmetic service. For instance, if you have an unaddressed issue like tooth decay or gum disease, certain cosmetic changes may be less effective or even aggravate the issue.
See your dental hygienist
Seeing the hygienist regularly can help lower your risk of developing issues with your gums. A dental hygiene appointment will also remove calculus/tartar and any stains. Not only that but it can leave your teeth feeling great and your breath fresh for that first kiss!
Whitening
Dental whitening can take a couple of weeks depending on the method you choose. You can read about different types of whitening here. We do not recommend whitening the week of your wedding due to sensitivity issues and potential irritation of the gum.
After your hygiene appointment and whitening, try to avoid foods which may stain the teeth such as red wine, coffee, soy sauce, green tea and cola. If you must have them, you could consider drinking through an environmentally friendly straw.
Practice smiling
As cheesy as it sounds, practice smiling in the mirror. This will allow you to work out how you best like your smile for when your photos are being taken. Additionally, you will probably spend most of your wedding day with a big natural smile anyway and practicing helps to prevent the facial muscles used for smiling from getting too tired on the day.
Makeup and jewellery
On your big day, there are additional things you can do to help make your smile look amazing. Sparkly jewellery such as earrings can make your teeth appear whiter. Gold can make your teeth appear more yellow. Makeup selection such as your lipstick colour can also help show off your pearly whites.
If you have any questions, please always feel free to give us a call – our Wellington based team we are more than happy to have a chat with you.
