Many of our patients sensibly take the time to prepare their teeth before their wedding day, to promote whiter smiles, better oral hygiene and straighter teeth. Our dentists get regular questions from brides-to-be, and those members of bridal parties; about chipped, discoloured and cracked teeth. To help you throughout your engagement and to allay any concerns about how your teeth will look in photographs, we caught up with Dr Michael Orlans to get his advice on how to ensure you have a near-perfect smile for the big day!
If you are a wedding planner, bridal shop or part of a wedding party, please take a look at our wedding dentistry package deals.
How many weeks before the event should I get my teeth whitened?
Tooth whitening is by far the thing that brides and grooms ask me about most in the lead up to their wedding. This is something I highly recommend as if you are wearing a white wedding dress, your teeth will naturally look darker by contrast.
Whitening your teeth is a simple, safe and non-invasive procedure when done in a professional manner by a dentist. The process should begin at your check-up 6 months before your wedding. Your dentist will make sure that your mouth is healthy prior to embarking on any whitening treatment.
There are 2 options for professional tooth whitening; in-surgery bleaching and home bleaching. The most reliable results are achieved from home bleaching. This typically takes several weeks, but can take up to 6 months in extreme cases if your teeth are very yellow or have deep intrinsic staining caused by tetracycline.
In-surgery bleaching will give your teeth an initial lift, but these results will need to be maintained with several days of home-bleaching.
The best time to whiten your teeth before your wedding, is 6 months before. This will give plenty of time to safely and effectively whiten your teeth. It will also mean you can familiarise yourself with the whitening process without any time pressures. You can then “top up” the whitening 3-4 weeks before the big day to ensure your teeth are looking their best – this doesn’t mean that you would pay twice for the procedure!
How to avoid bad breath on your wedding day.
Many patients are concerned about having bad breath on their big day and this can be easily solved with these 5 steps:
- See a dentist for regular 6 monthly check-ups. This will ensure that there are no last-minute surprises or issues that are likely to arise in the lead up to your wedding. Tooth decay, gum disease or infection from a tooth can cause bad breath which will not go away without the correct treatment.
- Maintain good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice/day with good technique, ensuring that every surface of every tooth is cleaned. Flossing or cleaning with interdental brushes (such as Tepe brushes) is a necessary adjunct as a toothbrush alone can only reach 70% of sites in your mouth, meaning around 1/3 of your tooth surface remains uncleaned and can harvest bacteria leading to bad breath.
- Stay well hydrated on your wedding day. Your wedding day will fly by, and you won’t have a minute to yourself without people wanting to speak to you/ dance with you and take photos of you! It is essential to make time to stay well hydrated throughout the day. This will keep you feeling good, and your breath smelling fresh. A dry mouth is a major culprit for bad breath. Frequent sips of water throughout the day can significantly help with this. It is a great idea to appoint a groomsman or bridesmaid with the task of keeping you both hydrated with water throughout the day!
- Brush your tongue. The tongue can harvest thousands of bacterial species. Generally speaking, vigorous tongue brushing is not recommended as this can cause extra growth of your tongue papillae and taste buds which can in turn lead to more bacteria. However, gentle brushing is beneficial, and a good cleaning on the morning of your wedding day will make sure there is no significant build up.
- Avoid eating strong flavoured and heavily spiced foods in the few days leading up to your wedding. This includes onions, garlic, coffee, tea, alcohol.
If after ruling everything out, you are still concerned about having bad breath, speak to your dentist. You may simply be suffering from halitophobia – the FEAR of having bad breath which doesn’t exist.
If your dentist agrees that you do have halitosis (bad breath), and no causes are found, they may refer you to your doctor who can investigate for other causes of bad breath such as tonsil stones or stomach acid reflux issues.
Should I get my teeth cleaned before the big day?
Couples before their big day tend to ask what their oral hygiene routine should be like in the lead up to their wedding. As well as following the advice above, you should visit a dental hygienist. A dental hygienist will remove all calculus (tartar) build up from your teeth, and use techniques such as airflow to remove all staining from your teeth. This is important as a build-up of calculus can contribute to bad breath, as well as being unsightly.
Most patients should see a hygienist for a professional clean every 6 months. It is a good idea to time this so that you have your teeth cleaned 6 months before your wedding, and then again 2 weeks before. This will get you into good habits for 6 months prior to your wedding, which is important as sometimes significant oral health improvements are needed which can take several months to get back on track. A thorough cleaning and stain removal 2 weeks before will ensure there are no unsightly stains on your teeth in the wedding photos! Sometimes teeth can be a little sensitive for several days after a hygiene visit, which is why I recommend 2 weeks before rather than 2 days before. It also gets it out of the way so that you can focus on all your other wedding plans during this busy period.
The best and fastest ways to fix chipped or broken teeth.
All solutions for a chipped tooth depend on how long there is until the wedding, and the severity of the chip.
If the edges of the teeth are worn or chipped, this can usually be repaired with the addition of tooth coloured material, known as composite bonding. This can be done a few weeks before the wedding, but ideally you should have a consultation with a dentist several months before the wedding to allow plenty of time for planning and time after the procedure to ensure you are happy with the results.
For more severe fractures, sometimes it is necessary to cover the front surface of the tooth with a veneer, or sometimes a crown which goes all the way around a tooth. These procedures require a little bit more time and planning. You really want to allow plenty of time to make sure the procedure is completely finished a long time before your wedding. Front teeth can be difficult to match exactly, and sometimes veneers/crowns need to be remade a number of times to get the correct match, and this extra time should be taken into account and allowed for.
Is there time to straighten my teeth before my wedding?
Many people decide that they want to have straight teeth for their wedding (and for the all-important wedding photos!). The length of time needed to straighten teeth depends on the starting position of the teeth, and the patient’s goals for treatment.
If someone is entirely happy with how the back teeth sit and function, it is often desirable just to straighten the front 10 pairs of teeth. This can typically be completed within 6-8 months. If more complex movements are required, and the back teeth need repositioning, tooth straightening (orthodontics) can take several years.
Ideally, I would like my patients to give as much notice as possible to start their tooth-straightening journey. This gives us time to properly plan and achieve the best possible results. It is therefore worth speaking to your dentist as soon as possible if you are considering straightening your teeth before the event.
Clear aligner teeth straightening systems (e.g. Invisalign) are more discreet, and can be taken out for your wedding day if you are still undergoing treatment at this stage. However, you may still have some attachments (tooth coloured buttons on some of your teeth) which although are very subtle, may be noticeable on some close-up photos.
If there is only 3 months or so until the wedding day, it would likely be too late to straighten your teeth, and other options such as tooth whitening should be considered.
Having straight teeth can really improve your confidence in your smile, and is definitely a conversation worth having with your dentist if it is something you are considering.
The SmileView Visualiser Tool allows you to see what your new smile may look like with Invisalign in just 60 seconds, simply by taking a selfie! This technology is a great way of immediately seeing your results after the full Invisalign treatment. You can view your simulation by clicking here.
To read more about the Invisalign process, please read our Invisalign Journey article, by following this link.
Avoid these three big mistakes in your pre-wedding diet:
Many people follow specific diets in the lead up to their wedding. Changes in dietary habits can cause changes to your teeth. Be sure to avoid these three big dieting mistakes!
- Not having substantial meals.
It is important to have 3 substantial meals a day to stop you from being hungry and snacking. Regular snacking can cause tooth decay as teeth require time to recover and repair after an intake of foods, or sugary and acidic drinks.
- Substituting fats and carbs with acids.
Many diets allow (and sometimes encourage) lots of highly acidic foods such as balsamic vinegars, apple cider vinegars and lemon juice. Whilst these are very flavoursome and much less fattening than alternative dressings such as olive oils, they are highly acidic and can cause significant damage to teeth if consumed on a regular basis.
- Substituting snacking with tea, coffee, or cigarettes.
The chief culprits for staining teeth are tea, coffee, red wine, and smoking. High quantities of these should be avoided to keep your teeth looking their best!
Dr Orlans is available for appointments Monday-Friday at Montagu Dental. To schedule an appointment, please click here.
If you are a wedding planner, bridal shop or part of a wedding party, please take a look at our wedding dentistry package deals.