The smile that you show can help to define you as a person. If you find yourself smiling less and less often, it can actually start to affect many areas of your work and personal life. You might find yourself avoiding social situations more and perhaps even start to feel depressed. Many people find that they may start smiling less if they feel self-conscious about the smile they have. For some it may be an issue of problems with their teeth but for others it can be issues with their gums such as having gum tissue that is very dark in color. You should know that if you are suffering with dark gums and find it is inhibiting your life that there are gum lightening procedures available today that can help you.
Causes of Dark Gums
The condition of having dark gums can actually be the result of a number of factors. For many people it can simply be a matter of genetics. People with a darker skin tone or of certain ethnic backgrounds may be more prone to have a darker pigment to their gums. Dark gums can also appear as a result of particular medications that you may take for other medical issues. There are also some medical conditions that can cause you to have dark gums. Smoking has been noted as a factor for many people that can alter the color of your gum tissue. Finally, there are some instances where poor oral hygiene can lead to problems of the gum tissue that can make it darker in color.
Treating Your Gums
No matter what the cause of the discoloration may be, there can be treatment options available to you, including some that can provide you with permanent gum lightening. There are several surgical procedures that can be performed to help make your gum tissue lighter. While some may not like the idea of surgery, there are bleaching and whitening options that only require a local anesthesia and you can end up with the lighter gums you are looking for.
Not everyone is a good candidate for any one particular procedure so it is important that you get a proper exam and evaluation performed by an experienced periodontist first. Your doctor will be able to take a look at your gums, discuss the factors involved that have brought about this condition and determine which treatment options can be best for you so you can be sure you get the right procedure and end up with the lighter gums to make you smile.
