Smoking can cause many health problems, including lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. While smokers might already know about these consequences of tobacco product use, they may not realize that smoking also affects their oral health. Smoking contributes to gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath, dark gums, and other oral health issues. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the causes and treatment of black gums from smoking.
How Do Black Gums from Smoking Develop?
Smoker’s melanosis is an oral condition that causes dark pigmentation of the gums, cheeks, or palate. Dark gum pigmentation from smoking is usually a result of chronic tobacco product use.
Tar and nicotine in tobacco can affect specialized cells (melanin-producing cells) in the mouth, leading to increased levels of melanin in mouth tissues. Melanin is a pigment responsible for eye, hair, and skin color. When melanin production is stimulated, it can lead to melanin hyperpigmentation of the gums, resulting in dark patches or black spots in the gums, checks, and palate.
The melanin pigmentation is benign (non-cancerous lesions) and will not cause pain or health risks. However, dark brown or black gums can ruin your smile, so you may need treatment to return the gum color to normal.
Black gums from smoking can also be a result of periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, a bacterial gum infection that damages the gums and tooth-supporting tissues. Smoking cigarettes is a major risk factor for periodontal disease, as it impairs blood flow to the gums, reduces the immune response, and hinders the healing process. The inflammation and infection associated with periodontal disease can lead to changes in the natural color of the gums, often making them appear darker.
Periodontal disease begins with bacterial plaque accumulating on the teeth and gums. If not removed through proper oral hygiene, this plaque hardens into tartar, which can only be removed by a dental professional. The bacteria in plaque buildup irritate the gums, causing them to become inflamed, bleed easily, and eventually pull away from the teeth, causing gum recession and forming infected gum pockets that harbor more bacteria. In advanced stages, these infections can result in significant tissue damage and gum color changes.
Warning Signs of Gum Disease
Black gums can be one of the signs of gum disease as a result of smoking, and seeking treatment is essential to restore gum health and appearance. Here are some warning signs and symptoms to watch out for:
- Red, swollen, or tender gums
- Bleeding gums when brushing or flossing
- Bad-smelling breath
- Gum recession
- Shifted or loose teeth
- Tooth loss as a result of jaw bone loss
Other Causes of Black Gums
In addition to smoking, there are other causes of black gums to consider before treatment. The causes include:
- Genetic factors: Some people naturally have darker gums due to genetic factors, which can influence the levels of melanin in their gum tissue.
- Amalgam Tattoo: An amalgam tattoo occurs when tiny particles of dental amalgam, a material used for tooth fillings, become embedded in the gum tissue during dental procedures. This can lead to dark spots on the gums.
- Medication side effects: Certain medications, such as minocycline, used to treat acne and other bacterial infections, can cause adverse effects, causing dark pigmentation in the gums.
- Some medical conditions: Certain health conditions may cause gums to develop darker pigmentation, such as:
- Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis (ANUG) is a severe gum infection characterized by pain, bleeding, and the presence of dead tissue, leading to black gums.
- Addison’s Disease.
- Oral cancer (malignant melanoma)
- Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, a genetic condition.
Before the treatment of black gums, you should see a dentist and identify the underlying cause, for example, genetic factors, smoking, medication adverse effects, or medical conditions.
How To Get Rid of Black Gums from Smoking?
Healthy gums range in color from pink to brown or black, depending on an individual’s age and ethnicity. When you smoke, the tar and nicotine in tobacco can turn the gum color to brown or black. This condition is known as a smoker’s melanosis, a benign (non-cancerous lesion) that doesn’t cause pain or health risks.
In the case of smoker’s melanosis, Black gums from smoking don’t require treatment unless it affects your smile or self-esteem.
You can turn your black gums to their normal color by quitting smoking. The period of time it takes for the black gums to return to their natural color varies from 3 months to 3 years.
However, some people can’t give up smoking. In this case, you can turn your beautiful smile by cosmetic procedures such as gum bleaching treatment in a dentist’s office. Gum bleaching, also known as gum depigmentation, can be used for the treatment of black gums from smoking tobacco products.
Gum Bleaching Treatment for Black Gums from Smoking
Gum bleaching (depigmentation) is a cosmetic procedure performed under a local anesthetic. During this cosmetic treatment, the dental professional removes the top layer of gum tissue, which contains the melanin pigment.
During the healing, a new layer of gum tissue will grow. The gum color will be pink rather than black. You should stop smoking after the procedure for at least 14 days to allow the new layer of gum tissue to heal properly. Smoking after oral surgery can interrupt the healing process and increase the risk of complications.
Also, try quitting smoking after the treatment to avoid the return of black gums, for example, use nicotine patches.
The treatment has a short recovery time with some discomfort. It may take more than one session to get the desired gum color, depending on how dark and deep the pigmentations are.
Dental professionals may use different methods to remove the black gums:
- Scalpel technique
- Cryosurgery (using extreme cold)
- Electrosurgery (using an electric current)
- Laser treatment (using laser beams)
Laser bleaching offers the advantage of being minimally invasive, with quicker healing and less discomfort. Laser bleaching precisely targets pigmented areas better than other methods. Consult your dentist to know more about the treatment options for black gums from smoking.
After gum bleaching treatment, it’s important to quit smoking, maintain a good oral care routine, and attend regular dental check-ups to prevent the recurrence of black gums.
Other Treatment Options for Black Gums from Smoking
If the underlying cause of your black gums is gum disease from smoking, your dentist may recommend several treatment options, depending on the severity of the condition.
- Quitting smoking: Your gums will heal after quitting smoking. Also, you can reduce the harmful effects of tobacco on your general and oral health. Your dentist can provide resources and support to help you quit smoking successfully, such as counseling, nicotine patches, or medication. Some people may experience bleeding gums after quitting smoking.
- Improving oral hygiene: Daily brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to keep your gums healthy. Also, use an antiseptic mouthwash to stop the growth of bacteria.
- Professional cleanings: Regular cleanings can remove bacterial plaque and tartar buildup to help improve gum health.
- Scaling and root planing: This deep cleaning procedure removes bacterial plaque and tartar from below the gumline and smooths the root surfaces to promote gum healing and attachment. Scaling and root planing can help treat gum disease and improve the appearance of black gums.
- Gum surgery: In cases of severe periodontal disease, pocket reduction surgery or gum grafting may be necessary to restore gum tissue and improve the appearance of gums.
If the black gums occur as medication side effects, contact your prescribing physician or healthcare provider to discuss alternative medications or dosage adjustments.
Oral melanomas, although rare, can also manifest as dark spots or patches on the gums, and their diagnosis often involves a tissue biopsy to confirm their presence and determine the appropriate course of treatment.
Black Gums from Smoking Treatment – Conclusion
In conclusion, Smoking is one of the leading causes of black gums. If you have black gums, then the best treatment option is to quit smoking. your gums will return to their normal color within 3 months to 3 years. However, if this isn’t possible, your dentist may suggest gum bleaching treatment.
The process of gum bleaching involves removing the top layer of gum tissue with different methods such as the scalpel technique or laser bleaching.
During the healing period, a new layer of gum tissue with a pink color will grow, making your smile look natural again. Consult your dentist to know the treatment plan, benefits, and risks associated with the gum bleaching treatment.
Your dentist may recommend additional treatment options if the black gums are caused by gum disease as a result of smoking such as deep cleaning to remove bacterial plaque and tartar from below the gum line.
Maintain good dental hygiene by daily brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and regular dental visits for professional cleanings and checkups. With proper care, you can maintain healthy gums and a beautiful smile.
