Wedding season means plenty of photos, whether you’re the one getting married, standing beside someone who is, or simply celebrating with friends and family. And when you know you’ll be smiling for the camera all day, it’s natural to start paying a little more attention to your teeth.
If you’re considering teeth whitening before a wedding, giving yourself some time before the big day can help you choose the right option and get the results you’re hoping for. You can learn more about our teeth whitening treatments and how professional whitening can brighten your smile right here.
At Shorewood Family Dental Care, we offer professional take-home whitening options that allow you to brighten your teeth on your own schedule. To find out which option may be right for you, call (815) 725-5991 to make an appointment.
Before deciding how you’d like to whiten your teeth, it helps to understand why they may have become stained or discolored in the first place.
What Causes Teeth to Become Stained?
Teeth can change color for many reasons, and not every type of discoloration responds to whitening in exactly the same way. Some of the most common causes include:
- Foods and Drinks. Coffee, tea, red wine, soft drinks and certain deeply pigmented foods can gradually leave stains on the surface of your teeth.
- Tobacco use. Smoking and chewing tobacco can cause noticeable yellow or brown staining over time.
- Poor oral hygiene. Inadequate brushing and flossing can allow plaque and stain-causing substances to remain on the teeth, making discoloration more noticeable.
- Illness and medical treatment. Certain illnesses and treatments, including some forms of chemotherapy and radiation involving the head and neck, can affect tooth color.
- Medications. Some medications can cause tooth discoloration, particularly when certain medications are taken while teeth are still developing.
- Age. Tooth enamel naturally becomes thinner with age, allowing more of the yellowish dentin beneath it to show through.
- Genetics. Natural tooth color varies from person to person. Some people simply have thicker, lighter or more translucent enamel than others.
- Injury or trauma. An injury to a tooth can sometimes cause it to darken or change color. Because this type of discoloration may be different from ordinary surface staining, it should be evaluated by a dentist.
When Should You Whiten Your Teeth Before a Wedding?
If possible, don’t wait until the night before the wedding to start thinking about whitening. Planning teeth whitening before a wedding gives you time to determine which whitening option makes sense for your teeth and how much whitening you’d like to achieve. It also gives you some flexibility if you experience temporary tooth sensitivity or decide you’d like additional whitening before the event.
This can be especially helpful for the bride or groom, since your smile may be photographed hundreds of times throughout the wedding day.
If whitening is only one part of a larger wedding smile transformation, starting early also gives you time to discuss any other cosmetic or restorative concerns with your dentist rather than trying to address everything immediately before the wedding.
Professional Teeth Whitening in Shorewood, IL
At Shorewood Family Dental Care, we offer professional take-home whitening options so you can brighten your smile conveniently at home.
As your Shorewood general dentist, we can help you choose between two professional whitening systems depending on your goals, schedule and preferences.
Opalescence 15% Disposable Whitening Trays
Opalescence is a convenient option for patients who want professional-strength whitening without having custom trays made.
The prefilled trays are disposable, so there is no tray to clean or save after each treatment. We offer Opalescence 15% in either a 3-pack or 10-pack, giving you the flexibility to choose an option based on how much whitening you’re looking for.
This can be particularly convenient before a wedding because the trays are ready to use at home without requiring impressions for custom trays.
ZOOM Take-Home Whitening With Custom Trays
We also offer ZOOM whitening in 16% and 22% concentrations.
Unlike our disposable Opalescence option, ZOOM requires custom whitening trays. These trays are made to fit your teeth and are used with the professional whitening gel at home.
Your dentist can help determine which concentration and whitening approach is appropriate for you.
Why Choose Professional Whitening Instead of a Store-Bought Kit?
The whitening aisle at the drugstore can be overwhelming. You’ll find strips, gels, toothpastes, pens and kits making all kinds of promises.
Professional whitening gives you something those products don’t: the opportunity to have your teeth evaluated by a dental professional before you begin.
That’s important because not every discoloration problem is the same. Whitening also won’t change the color of existing crowns, veneers, fillings or other restorations. If you have dental work that will be visible when you smile, it’s worth discussing that before you start whitening.
A dental evaluation can also identify cavities, gum problems, significant sensitivity or other issues that may need attention first.
Keeping Your Smile Bright Leading Up to the Wedding
Once you’ve whitened your teeth, a few simple habits can help minimize new staining as the wedding approaches.
Continue brushing twice a day and flossing daily, and pay attention to foods and beverages that tend to stain teeth. Coffee, tea and red wine are some of the most common offenders.
You don’t necessarily have to give up your morning coffee just because you’re getting married. Rinsing your mouth with water after drinking stain-producing beverages can help limit how long they remain in contact with your teeth.
And if your wedding is still several months away, keeping up with your routine dental cleanings can help remove surface stains and buildup while keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
Explore Your Teeth Whitening Options Before the Big Day
Your wedding photos will be around long after the flowers have been put away and the last piece of cake is gone. If a brighter smile would make you feel more confident in those photos, professional whitening is something you can plan for well before the celebration.
Whether you’re getting married yourself or preparing for someone else’s big day, we can help you determine which whitening option makes sense for your smile. You can also take a look at some of the other ways to prepare your pre wedding teeth if you’re thinking beyond whitening alone.
Call Shorewood Family Dental Care at (815) 725-5991 or get in touch with us online to request an appointment using our convenient contact form.
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Originally published March 1, 2018. Updated August 17, 2026.
