Dr. Vinita Tekchandani Masters Degree In Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
Gums are a part of the soft tissue lining inside our mouths. The gum tissues provide a tight seal for our teeth to hold them in place and protect them from microbial invasion. When the gum health is compromised, it shows atypical signs like tenderness, swelling, bleeding, etc. Likely, you will notice a difference in the color of your gums when infected.
Healthy gums are generally pink and appear light brown for dark-skinned people. Excessive smoking and conditions like oral melanoacanthoma darken your gums. Similarly, various oral complications cause white patches on the gums.
Our dentists have listed the most common causes of white gums around your teeth in this blog post.
As discussed earlier, bacterial infection in gum tissues is the base reason for white-colored gums around your teeth. Gingival infection (clinically known as Gingivitis) will turn your gums white. If you neglect such white patches on the gums, the infection will progress to an advanced stage, even leading to teeth loss.
To put it simply, white-colored spots on gums are a warning sign of a few oral complications and bodily disorders. They are discussed as follows:
Leukoplakia is a dental condition that stimulates the development of white patches on the gums, inside of the cheeks, and bottom of the mouth. It happens due to several reasons, like irritations in the oral tissues. Meanwhile, smokers and people who chew tobacco substances are highly vulnerable to this condition.
Even though it is a benign condition in most cases, it is linked to the development of cancer cells. Leukoplakia treatments like Retinoids, Isotretinoin supplements, surgical removal of lesions, Electrocauterization, and others aim at preventing it from becoming cancer.
Anemia occurs due to our body’s lack of healthy red blood cells. The main function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen to our body tissues.
When gum tissues do not receive sufficient oxygen, skin on the gums pale. Consequently, the gums turn white color. Such whiteness in gums also appears for those lacking iron supplements and vitamin B-12.
Candida albican is a kind of fungus living in our mouths. When there is an imbalance in candida, it will overgrow inside the mouth, causing yeast infection. This condition is called oral candidiasis or oral thrush.
When it happens, it produces creamy white lesions on the gums, cheeks, throat, and other areas inside the mouth. If such yeast infection is left untreated, the fungus will enter the bloodstream and cause various fatal illnesses.
Oral lichen planus is an autoimmune condition that causes lacy white patches inside the mouth. The exact cause of oral lichen planus is unknown, but researchers believe it occurs due to nutritional deficiencies.
Similar to white spots on gum surfaces, oral lichen planus also causes pain, bleeding, and swelling in the gums.
Habits like smoking, alcohol consumption, and certain food items irritate your gum tissues. Consequently, the skin of the gums turns whitish. In such circumstances, you should give up habits that irritate your mouth’s tissues.
Similarly, the skin of gums develops white spots following a dew dental treatment. Teeth whitening and teeth extraction are more likely to develop white patches on the gums. Fortunately, they are temporary and will fade in a few days after the treatment.
If you notice such white gums after any treatment for weeks, consult your periodontist immediately.
When our body uses the gums to indicate the progression of an illness, you will notice atypical things like white patches on the gums.
Aside from getting timely dental treatments and indulging in proper home remedies to scrap such white patches on your gums, you should eat healthy foods, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and follow an effective dental hygiene routine to avert oral complications like infection in gums.
Want to know more about white gums? Contact our Bandra dentists right now.
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