Some couples spend months physically preparing for their destination wedding and/or honeymoon. Be it hitting the gym to shred those last few pounds or trying out new beauty solutions for flawless skin come W-Day, it’s important you feel confident as you walk down the aisle. One area that can’t be ignored is your smile. Dr. Joseph Banker, D.M.D. is the founder of Creative Dental Care in New Jersey and has some simple and smart steps for you to take to make sure your smile looks its best:

• Visit a dentist for whitening vs. using at-home treatments: Over-the-counter products are not as powerful as professional strength products because a professional is not monitoring its usage. When used properly under professional supervision, the more concentrated products found in a dental office will give you longer lasting results with less sensitivity.

• For women, wearing darker shades of lipstick, particularly red lipstick, can instantly make teeth appear whiter. Some lipstick shades are even secretly tinted with blue shades to specifically make teeth appear whiter. 

• Avoiding dark colored foods and beverages such as coffee, tea, red wine, tomato sauce, soy sauce, certain spices, etc. that can stain the teeth will help teeth stay whiter. Try to remember this when planning which meals you want to eat/offer to guests.

• Try using a straw while drinking dark liquids such as wine, soda or tea. This will help to keep your smile significantly whiter by delivering the liquid past the front teeth.

• Have someone photograph you from various angles. There may be a silver filling that is showing when you smile big, or a dark tooth, or maybe you just need some simple tooth or gum re-contouring and possibly tooth whitening. Regardless, the simple fixes can make the difference between a bride who loves her pictures and one that is spending lots to have them retouched.

• As far as red wine staining teeth, there is an easy solution – don’t drink red wine on your wedding day. Not only can red wine stain your teeth, but you will be wearing all white and might spill on yourself. Trying to balance a glass and greet excited guests can end in a disaster.

• Make sure any whitening procedures are completed at least a few weeks in advance of the wedding. Teeth can get spotty and sensitive as a result of whitening. The spots will even out and the sensitivity will resolve, but they can cause issues if they occur too close to the wedding. Another potential problem with whitening can be tissue irritation. If this occurs, it needs time to heal, which is another good reason to take care of whitening a few weeks in advance.

• Get a professional cleaning a week or two before the wedding.  Plaque and tartar are not only unsightly, but dark foods tend to cling to them. Smooth, polished teeth are less likely to stain.