Wedding days are meant to be bright, beautiful, and hopeful—and you want your smile to match. In the weeks leading up to the big day, there are a few dental care changes you can make to ensure your smile is picture perfect. The guide below offers recommendations from a dentist.

How to Smile Brighter at Your Wedding

1. Therapeutic Toothpaste & Mouthwash

Invest in tubes of toothpaste and mouthwashes that target your specific concerns. Store-bought products that combat staining, plaque, and bad breath are all available, and daily use will enhance your smile. Be sure to only use products with the ADA seal, as this ensures they’ve been tested and proven to be safe and effective.

2. Dental-Friendly Diet

A person’s diet affects their dental care, too. Foods and drinks like red wine, berries, beets, dark sodas, and coffee all stain teeth, which will undo any whitening treatments you’ve had done. Acidic options like orange juice will wear away enamel, deepening the stains. Avoid highly pigmented or abrasive foods and drinks in the month leading up to your wedding, and increase your intake of calcium and vitamin D to boost your oral health.

3. Deep Cleaning & Teeth Whitening

Everyone should have their teeth cleaned as part of their regular bi-annual dental visits, but request an extra appointment before your wedding. Through scaling and planing, the dentist will address the area below the gumlines to remove built-up plaque and smooth root endings for healthier gums. Once this is done, you can ask about professional teeth whitening treatments, which will be more effective than store-bought. Having the cleaning done first will allow for a more direct application of the whitening agent, resulting in a uniform smile.

4. Veneers or Crowns

If you have minor cosmetic dental flaws beyond staining, veneers might be a better option. This fast, simple, painless process involves a dentist placing a thin porcelain piece onto the front of your tooth—or teeth—to restore a pleasing, natural appearance. They can hide minor cracks, chips, stains, misshapenness, and gaps. Pre-made veneers can be fit in one appointment. For more extensive tooth damage or flaws—such as cracks or cavities that threaten the integrity of the tooth—a dental crown will provide protection for it, as well as give you a full, natural-looking smile. Crowns can take weeks to be made, so be sure to have a dental consultation about them at least a month before the wedding.

The experienced team at Advanced Dental Care in Show Low, AZ, will provide you with the dental care solutions needed to prepare for the big day, whether you want teeth whitening, crowns, or product recommendations. They’ll restore your smile to picture-perfect quality, using advanced methods in a cutting-edge facility. They accept many major insurances and are open every weekday until 5 PM. Learn about their services online or call (928) 537-4363 for an appointment with a dentist.