Our Langley dentists describe some of the ways that can tell the difference between healthy gums and unhealthy ones based on appearance.
Colour
While the majority of people have pink gums, healthy gums can actually come in quite a wide range of colours. Some can be very pale pink, and others can be more toward brown or even black in some cases. As you might expect, darker coloured gums are more common in individuals with darker skin tones.
But there are certain colours that may indicate gum disease. Gums that are bright red, white, or unnaturally black may indicate that gum disease is present. Particularly if you have noticed that your gums have perceptibly changed colour, you should definitely get them checked out by your dentist.
Texture
Healthy gums are firm to the touch. They fit snuggly around the teeth and you shouldn't be able to move them around with your finger.
Unhealthy gums often look and feel puffy. They are noticeably malleable compared to healthy gums, and may feel soft and somewhat tender to the touch. You may also notice that they begin to pull back away from the teeth (this is called gum recession).
Healthy gums rarely bleed during brushing or flossing. If your gums bleed when you brush and floss, it could be a sign of gum disease.