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What causes gum pigmentation?
Also known as gingival hyperpigmentation, or gingival pigmentation, those brown or black skin splotches that sometimes occur naturally on gum tissue are normally caused by excess melanin, natural pigments also found in our hair and even eyes. Individuals most commonly affected are those with dark skin.
What does black spots on your gums mean?
Black spots on your gums are usually harmless, but they can sometimes be a sign of teething problems in children or oral cancer. If you notice a new spot on your gums, make sure to tell your doctor about it. Even if the spot isn’t cancerous, it should be monitored for any changes in shape, size, or color.
Why are my gums black between my teeth?
Black triangles called open gingival embrasures can form between your teeth when your gums pull away from your teeth. Age, harsh dental hygiene methods, gum disease, bone loss, and the size and shape of your teeth and gums can all contribute to the formation of these triangles.
How do you treat pigmentation on gums?
Depigmentation procedures such as scalpel surgery, gingivectomy with free gingival autografting, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemical agents such as 90\% phenol and 95\% alcohol, abrasion with diamond bur, Nd: YAG laser, semiconductor diode laser, and CO2 laser have been employed for removal of melanin hyper …
How do I get rid of pigmentation on my gums?
During the treatment, a periodontist uses a laser to essentially bleach the gums, removing the excess pigment from the area. Similar to laser skin resurfacing, laser gum depigmentation destroys the top layer of cells on the gum. When those cells are destroyed, the pigment is as well, leaving pinker gums behind.
How do I get rid of black spots around my gums?
Can a dark spot be removed?
- Peroxide-based tooth bleaching kits or whitening strips. Both at-home and professional teeth whitening treatments can help remove stains and whiten your teeth.
- Dental prophylaxis.
- Tooth whitening pastes, powder, or liquids.
- Veneers.
Is black gums bad?
If a person’s gums have always been very dark, there is no cause for concern. If the gum color changes over a short period, however, or if patches of black appear on the gums, it is probably not caused by melanin and may indicate a medical issue.
Are black gums curable?
Unfortunately, there are no at-home remedies for removing dark blotches on the gums. Most professional methods also fail because they use things like knives or lasers which remove the pigmentation temporarily. Within a year, the spots come back.
What does it mean when your gums turn black?
Quitting smoking may help reduce this dark pigmentation. Sometimes, black gums can be a sign of something more serious. A black spot on the gums could be a type of oral cancer known as malignant melanoma. If you notice this type of lesion, see your dentist.
What causes gum pigmentation and discoloration?
Gum pigmentation is caused by melanin and melanin is a natural substance in our body that we find in freckles, sun spots, age spots. It’s what makes us tan in the summertime. Unfortunately, some people have an overproduction of melanin in their gums. Discoloration may also be caused by long term use of certain medications.
Should I be worried if my gums are dark?
In other words, if the person has always had dark gums, there’s no reason for alarm simply because he or she has recently learned that, in some people, dark gums indicate an underlying medical condition.
Why are my gums dark after smoking?
Smoking can cause many side effects inside the mouth, including dark gums. The nicotine in tobacco activates the melanin-producing cells, leading to darker gums, explains the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Quitting smoking may help reduce this dark pigmentation.