[HOW TO] Get Your Teeth Picture-Perfect for Wedding Day Photos

Wedding season is right around the corner. And, while a wedding only lasts for a day, photos are forever. That means you’ll want to ensure that your smile will look great on the big day.

Even if you don’t think you’re photogenic, there are plenty of ways to get your smile camera-ready.

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Photo Prep at THE SCIENCE OF SMILES®

A healthy mouth means a happy smile in wedding day photos. Schedule a visit at THE SCIENCE OF SMILES® a few months before your wedding to make sure there aren’t any big issues, such as cavities or gum disease, with your teeth. We can also help you pick the best tooth whitening option to brighten your smile for the big day.

Don’t forget to take great care of your teeth at home. Brushing twice a day helps prevent plaque, tartar build-up and gingivitis, while also removing surface stains from teeth. Flossing daily will also keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape.

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Tips For Looking Your Best in Wedding Photos

1. Don’t Open Too Wide: One of the tricks to having a natural, relaxed smile in your wedding photos is not opening your mouth too wide and not pressing your teeth and lips together. There’s a sweet spot between too wide and too narrow, and that’s smiling with a slight amount of room between your upper and lower rows of teeth. Ideally, you’ll be able to fit a pinky, but not much else, between your teeth when you smile.

2. Tilt to the Side: Everyone has a good side. You want to make sure yours is clearly visible in your wedding photos. Tilting your head to one side or the other can help balance your features, particularly if your face isn’t perfectly symmetrical.

3. Pick Your Makeup Carefully: Makeup can be deceptive. What gives you a nice, healthy glow or shimmer in real life can make you look as though you’re orange or sweating in a photo. For the sake of posterity, it’s best to skip the bronzer or self-tanner on your wedding day and choose a more neutral foundation that matches your skin tone. Glittery or shimmery makeup might look festive in person, but it can shine too much in a photo and make you look sweaty or as if you’ve been crying.

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The lipstick you pick for your wedding day is particularly important. Although matte shades might be in right now, it’s better to pick a creamy formula with a bit of sheen. The sheen will reflect the light and can help make your teeth and smile brighter in the picture. To amplify the whiteness of your teeth even more, pick a shade of lipstick with a blue undertone, such as fuchsia or cherry red. Lipsticks with yellow or brown undertones will give your teeth a yellow tinge.

4. Loosen Up: It can get tiring standing around while the photographer snaps photo after photo of you, your new spouse, friends and family members. To avoid a wooden or stiff-looking smile halfway through your photo session, remember to keep moving. If you start to feel your face tensing up, take a minute to close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax your muscles. Then, get ready to smile again by forcing out a few “ha-has!” You might feel silly doing it, but it will help you stay loose and relaxed in your pictures.

Don’t be shy about practicing your wedding day smile in the mirror in advance. Finding the perfect head angle, the perfect lipstick and the perfect way to open your mouth will help be you be confident that you look as great as you feel on your wedding day.

About THE SCIENCE OF SMILES®

THE SCIENCE OF SMILES® offers affordable cosmetic and laser dentistry and gentle, compassionate general dental care in Pasadena, CA. Our office is conveniently located with extended hours to meet your needs. At THE SCIENCE OF SMILES®, we provide most dental services, from basic preventative care and general dentistry to specialized procedures, complete dental reconstruction and TMJ/Headache management. Patient satisfaction is our top priority and we strive to provide the exceptional, affordable dental care and personal touch that lead to lasting relationships. A smiling patient is our greatest reward and we look forward to keeping those smiles healthy, beautiful, and bright. Discover affordable up-to-date dentistry and a team who truly cares at THE SCIENCE OF SMILES®.