Gums have an essential role to play for enhancing our smile. They make our overall appearance beautiful and we all wish to have pink and healthy gums. Slightly darkening of gums tends to make us self-conscious about our face. On the other hand, these patches can be more than just an unpleasing look. In some cases they indicate an underlying health issues which has to be treated as soon as you detect it. Many a time, poor oral care and bad lifestyle leads to these conditions.
There are numerous factors which lead to darkening of gums. Some of them are:
- Heredity
- Medication
- Smoking
- Stress
- Lack of oral hygiene
- Imbalanced nutrition
- Production of tartar or plaque
Sometimes, our gums turn grayish because of the accidental implantation of the silver amalgam in our gum tissue while we restore or extract teeth. These patches are spotted by black gums around the crown, filling and dentures, and are called ‘amalgamation tattoos’ by the doctors.
These conditions have to be treated by an oral care specialist. Some of the changes in lifestyle that you’d be asked to make would include:
- Brushing and flossing properly. At least twice a day or thrice.
- Gargling with a mouthwash or gargling with lukewarm water added with salt. To repeat twice a day.
- Quitting smoking or chewing tobacco
- Following a diet which have proper vitamins, minerals and other necessary nutrients
- Adopting method to reduce stress, for instance, yoga and meditation
- Going to the dentist for checkups and cleanups at regularly intervals
There are some more conditions which create darkening of gums, and these have to be treated by a doctor:
- Oral infections
- Dead tissues in gums
- Black gum disease
- HIV / AIDS
- Internal bleeding
- Malignant melanoma
- Ulcerative gingivitis
These conditions are serious and needs prompt care and medication. Your doctor will give you the prescribed list which would include some antibiotics like, clavulanic acid amoxicillin and metronidazole. Finally, if you do not get the darkening lessened with these medications, you might have to get the damaged tissues removed by a periodontist. Many a time, an oxygen therapy is advised for treating black gums.
How to make gums pink?
Getting pinker gums mean that you are promoting improved oral hygiene. There are some regular methods to follow in your daily routine which helps you get and maintain pink gums:
Toothpaste
You have to be wise enough to choose proper toothpaste, which is specifically designed to help you improve your gums. You might have to pay some extra bucks but you would get the desired results
Toothbrush
Primarily, buy a toothbrush, which has American Dental Association’s seal on the package. This should be followed by some more aspects because:
- You have to buy a toothbrush which can be easily maneuvered through your mouth
- You have to avoid brushes with hard bristled, as they can damage your gums further
- You have to get a soft to medium bristled toothbrush
- You have to make sure that the bristles have rounded tips
- You could even opt for an electric toothbrush as they are better than the regular ones. They have the ‘rotation oscillation’ facility, which makes the bristles move back and forth at a same pack.
Brush before two meals
The conventional practice has taught us to brush after meals, but dentist suggest the opposite. They are concerned with removing the plaque which is formed on every tooth and not on food removal which we seemed to stress more on.
Minimum Cleanup
You have to brush two times a day. For optimal care, brush thrice.
Time Frame
Most people try to brush fast, but you need to spare a minimum of 2 minutes for this! Divide your teeth into 4 quadrants and brush every quadrant for 30 seconds. Make sure you hit all the parts of your mouth.
Don’t Overdo
Don’t brush for more than 3 times a days. This can lead to damage of both gums and teeth. Dentist state this as ‘toothbrush abrasion’ and can deteriorate your enamels and make them sensitive. If you have an electric brush, just go with the flow, and don’t exert much pressure. Replace toothbrushes once in 3 months for promoting better hygiene.
Use Floss
There are numerous types of flosses available in the pharmacies. From nylon to monofilament and then from flavorless to mint-flavored, you get it all! Get the one which is comfortable for you as the regular usage is more important than the type chosen.
- Floss once a day, no matter how gross it seems!
- Sometimes flossing gives you improved results which brushing does not.
- Over-brushing can be a problem but over-flossing ever can!
- It doesn’t matter when you floss, as long as you maintain doing it once every day.
- People who newly start flossing tend to make their gums bleed. Don’t discontinue, the condition will soon stop.
Use a Mouthwash
Mouthwash is important because this cleanup the entire mouth and not only the teeth. They reduce bad breath and keep your tongue clean. Choose a product sealed by American Dental Association. While buying, make sure that it is formulated for gum health, and not over cosmetic for fresher breath. Also, avoid the mouthwashes with alcohol content, as they dry the skin out.
Don’t use a mouthwash immediately after brushing. This could lessen some benefits of brushing teeth. Use it before brushing or 1 hour after brushing.
Immediate Care
There are some problems which need professional attention immediately. These conditions would include:
- Swollen/Red gums
- Bleeding beyond normal while flossing
- Loosening of tooth
- Receding gums
- Bad taste while eating or chronic bad breath
Regular Checkups
Even if you decide to promote oral care at home, you have to keep certain things in mind, like removing plaque buildup, whitening teeth, etc. You might keep a periodical checkup routine with a dentist who would tell you the developed conditions of your oral care. How often you’d meet a doctor would be on your own needs are preference, but having your teeth checked up once a year is necessary. Your dentist would let you know about further checkups.
Natural remedies for pinking gums
- Green Tea: green tea is rich in antioxidants and is known to be the elixir of health care. Green tea is known to treat numerous diseases. It helps you reduce darkening of gums, inflammation of gum and also destroys the bacteria which is formulated in our mouth, and is the cause of periodontal issues. Have a cup of green tea every morning to promote stronger teeth.
- Sesame Oil: sesame oil can also be used to remove toxic substances. They also lessen plaque buildup which in turn reduces the gums from darkening and weakening. Take ¼ cup of sesame oil to swish your mouth well. You could also warm the oil a little for absorbing the toxin content and plaque. This oil also acts like a protective coating to your gums, which prevents the gums and teeth from dental decay and promotes healthier gums.
- Aloe Vera: aloe vera is famous for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Take fresh gel from aloe vera plant for brushing your teeth. Simply take the gel and apply on your teeth. After that, take a toothbrush and spread the gel while you brush it all over. This would prevent receding of gums and heal infections, if any.
- Coconut Oil: coconut oil is antimicrobial in nature. It is another amazing remedy for treating our gums from receding and also the causes behind it. Take virgin coconut oil to swish your mouth after brushing teeth. It acts like a layer of protection again diseases which are caused by bacteria. This also helps you get rid of the food particles which stick in-between two teeth.
- Lemon Oil: lemon oil has antiseptic qualities which act like an amazing antibacterial agent. Though, direct application of lemon oil isn’t recommended as it can lead to enamel corrosion. You can prepare lemon oil with added lemon with olive oil and let it blend well for a few weeks. This oil can then be used for swishing your mouth every morning. It’ll kill bacteria and prevent gums from receding. Lemon also promotes formation of tissues which can replace the damaged once.
- Eucalyptus: this is an essential oil which kills germs from mouth and reduces gum diseases and tooth decay. It is anti-inflammatory in nature and reduces swelling of gums too. Take some of the oil and add water to dilute. Massage the content on your gums and repeat daily. Rinse off with water and promote growth of tissues.
- Clove: cloves act as an essential ingredient to improve oral care. Clove oil has antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties which stimulates the growth and repairs the damaged tissues. They act as a powerful ingredient to stop the bacterial action with frequent usage. Massage teeth with clove oil every day for improved gums.
- Tea Tree Oil: it can be diluted and then used for swishing of mouth. It prevents gums from receding and root damage. The oil is very strong, and cannot be used with diluting. The tea-tree oil is anti-fungal and microbial which kills the germs and reduces plaques on teeth and between teeth and gums.
- Sage Leaves: these act like a tonic of gums and are wonderful for treating mucus membrane. They can be directly rubbed on the teeth and gums for protecting the gums and promoting a healthier color. You can add these leaves to your tea, which would come in contact with the teeth and do its magic! You could even boil some leaves in water, bring down the temperature and rinse your mouth with it.
- Rose Vinegar: it helps to strengthen gums and can be used for rinsing the mouth. To make this you need to add 3 ounces of rose petals and then soak them in red wine vinegar. Let the water steep for a week and then strain it. You could also add 1 tablespoon of rose vinegar to 1 cup of warm water for rinsing your mouth every day.
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Originally posted in Beauty & Health Tips
