Weddingbee Blog

We’re less than a month away from the wedding, which means it’s the perfect time for me to begin having irrational concerns about the wedding and, more importantly, my wedding-day appearance. This week’s freak-out is all about the teeth. Specifically, I have two main concerns: color and straightness.

WORRY: COLOR

Who doesn’t want white teeth any day of the week, let alone on a day when a few hundred people will be staring at you and snapping a few hundred photos? I’m really nervous that I’ll be less than thrilled with the whiteness of my teeth come wedding day. I have visions of getting the photos back and having a reaction similar to this series of events:

Video via YouTube

I don’t want the term “mother of pearl” to even pass through my mental registry on, or after, the wedding day. I want to be able to flash my grin with complete and total confidence, knowing it’s undeniably white.

PLAN OF ATTACK: COLOR

This isn’t my first time around the teeth-whitening block. I have a multi-pronged approach, figuring at least one of these tricks has to work.

My strategy is to employ as many whitening products as I can over a long period of time, hoping to produce a gradual effect without shocking my mouth into hyper-sensitivity.

Mouthwash via Our Thrifty Ideas / Toothpaste via Cha-ching on a Shoestring / Whitening Strips via Best Buy to Low / Collage made by me

I’m hoping that if I consistently employ a combo-attack of whitening toothpaste and whitening mouthwash over the next few weeks, I’ll see a noticeable difference. Then, as I get closer to the actual wedding day, I’ll pounce with the whitening strips, finishing the job up right.

WORRY: STRAIGHTNESS

My teeth are pretty straight, courtesy of two-and-a-half years of awesomely cool braces.

Personal photo

However, my teeth aren’t 100% straight, courtesy of my lack of retainer wearing for the past five years or so. I know it’s an imperfection that only I would notice about myself, but it’s become a nagging voice in the back of my head. I’ve almost convinced myself that my glaring dental-alignment issues will be visible to everyone in each and every one of our wedding photos. Hence the freak-out.

PLAN OF ATTACK: STRAIGHTNESS

I was a diligent retainer-wearer for the five years after my braces were removed. The last thing I wanted was another round of metal mouth. However, when I went to college and being cool trumped having perfectly straight teeth, the retainers got the boot. But, not before I convinced my parents to buy me a new set of retainers to replace the biohazards I’d been wearing for the previous five years. So, in order to try and alleviate my straight-teeth concerns, I’ve dug out my “new” set from five years ago and have been wearing them for a couple hours every couple of days. I know that this miniscule amount of time won’t do poo-diddly, but I can only handle wearing them for a bit at a time, since they’re pretty much pushing my teeth in directions my teeth aren’t interested in going. I figure if I keep this little game up, either the discomfort will go away or I’ll just get better at ignoring it, and I can eventually get to the point where I sleep in retainers through the night…like the mature, grown woman I am.

Just in case neither of these plans of attack works to allay my dental concerns, I do have a little trick up my sleeve. I just take a peek at our engagement pictures: no off-kilter teeth or stains to be seen. Either my smile is better than I give it credit for, or our photographer is even more awesome than I give her credit for!

Photo by Christina Garber

What are your bridal-beauty concerns? Have any great strategies for white teeth that you care to share??