Your gum turning black around a tooth is often due to black tartar buildup from poor hygiene, smoking, or amalgam tattoos from old fillings, but it can also signal serious issues like periodontal disease, a dying tooth, or certain medications, so seeing a dentist is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Black gum remedies provided by a dentist can offer options such as: Laser Gum Depigmentation: The process of using a laser to remove excess melanin from your gums, creating a lighter appearance. It is highly effective and can provide a permanent black gums cure.
Causes of Dark or Black Gums
Poor oral hygiene is often the leading cause of tartar buildup. For tartar to turn black or form below the gum line, improper brushing and flossing is usually the culprit.
Removing Black Tartar
All forms of tartar, no matter the color, should only be removed by your dentist or dental hygienist. The cleaning process your dentist will undertake is known as scaling and root planing, where black tartar is scraped off above and below the gum line.
Black Gum Disease Symptoms
In addition to having an aggressive infection of the gums, the disease also attacks the bones that hold the teeth in place. It could also affect your lymph nodes. This is a pretty serious complication, since lymph nodes help the human body fight infections.
Vitamin Deficiencies and Medical Conditions: Deficiencies in vitamin C (scurvy) can cause bleeding, dark, or unhealthy gums. Conditions like Addison's disease or Peutz-Jeghers syndrome may also cause gums turning black.
Periodontal disease symptoms may include:
Early Symptoms of a Bacterial Gum Infection
It often presents with mild symptoms, which may include: Red, swollen, or tender gums. Bleeding during brushing or flossing. Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth.
Advanced tooth decay can lead to a severe infection inside your tooth and under your gums (tooth abscess). This infection can spread throughout your body.
It might be yellowish at first, but it can turn darker over time. Tartar feels like a hard shell on your teeth. Unlike plaque, you can't remove tartar with brushing and flossing.
Poor oral hygiene can cause plaque and tartar accumulation near gums, resulting in gum discoloration and leading to gum disease. This can manifest as black on gum line where plaque accumulates, progressive darkening if untreated, associated bleeding and inflammation, and is preventable through proper oral care.
Symptoms of periodontitis can include: Swollen or puffy gums. Bright red, dark red or dark purple gums. Gums that feel tender when touched.
Unhealthy gums may appear bright red and swollen. They may feel extremely sensitive or tender to the touch. They may bleed every time you brush or floss your teeth.
Improving daily oral care with brushing, flossing, and routine dental visits helps you keep these in check, thereby preventing gum diseases that damage the gum tissues. Gum colour varies among individuals. Black gums are often a natural colour variation and not necessarily a medical concern.
Through different surgical methods that are very similar to dermabrasion, black gums can be pink again and you can restore your healthy smile. If you notice dark or discolored gums, it is best to consult your dentist to make sure there are no underlying causes that should be of concern.
Dark spots on your gums could simply be a natural genetic trait. However, if you notice a sudden change, it might call for a dental check-up. Smoking can cause your gums to darken due to increased melanin production. Hormonal changes, such as those during pregnancy, can also contribute to this change.
Stage Five: Abscess Forms
After reaching the pulp, an infection then moves to the tip of the root and exits the tip of the tooth's structure, infecting the surrounding tissues and possibly the bone structure. Swelling and severe pain are commonplace in the fifth and final stage of a cavity.
You can't “catch” a cavity. However, the bacteria that cause them can be spread from person to person, typically through saliva. This could be from sharing utensils, kissing, or anything else that could cause you to come into contact with the mouth bacteria of someone with a cavity.
The 2-2-2 rule in dentistry is a simple guideline for good oral hygiene: brush twice a day, for two minutes each time, and visit your dentist twice a year, helping to prevent cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems by establishing consistent habits for plaque removal and professional monitoring.
Sometimes there is black or grey tissue on the gums because of dead tissue building up over them, and ulcers may form on the edges of teeth. Trench mouth is from bacteria in the mouth. It can happen from poor oral hygiene, stress, lack of sleep, or a diet that is not healthy.
If left untreated, this can cause inflammation of the parts which connect our teeth to the underlying bone. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss and has also been linked to an increased risk of developing heart or blood vessel problems.
In advanced cases of gum disease (periodontitis), pockets of pus may develop around the gums or between teeth. This is a sign of a serious infection and often comes with pain, swelling, and even fever. If you spot any discharge from the gumline, it's essential to see your dentist as soon as possible.
Stage 4: Advanced Periodontitis
In this final stage, gum disease has caused significant tissue and bone loss, and the teeth may become loose or fall out. The risk of systemic health problems like heart disease and diabetes also increases. Some symptoms can be: Very deep pockets (6mm or more)
Diagnosis. How it's done The dentist will examine your gums for signs of inflammation and use a tiny ruler called a “probe” to measure pockets around the teeth. Why it's done In a healthy mouth, the pockets around the teeth are usually between 1 and 3 millimeters. Deeper pockets can be a sign of periodontal disease.
While living with periodontal disease may present challenges, it is possible to lead a long and healthy life with proper management and treatment. Expert periodontal treatment from Village Periodontics can help mitigate the negative effects of periodontal disease and promote overall health and longevity.