As a visionary, I always like to look at ideal.
You know what I mean… vision what’s perfect and use that as my north pole, my target.
So when it comes to the perfect smile, I look first at the health of the gums.
So what do perfect gums look like?
Of course, they should not look like gum disease. But instead of listing what gum disease is or looks like, I’ll describe what the gums should be in a perfect world.
1. The color of the gums should be light “salmon” pink.
2. The texture should be stippled or have little dimples on the surface.(not glossy)
3. They should be held tightly against the bone like speedos on an olympic swimmer.
4. The gums should be uniformly the same. In other words, it should not appear that there are many areas of healthy looking gums and diseased gums.
5. They should not bleed when they are probed at the dentist, when you floss, brush, or eat.
6. The pocket of gums around each tooth should be 1-2 mm deep. The larger the number, the deeper the pocket.
7. A band of “good gums” should surround each tooth or dental implant 360 degrees.
8. Cosmetically, the you should only show 1-2 mm of gums when you smile fully.
I hope this give you a clear picture of what prefect gums should look like in health (and not during gum disease).
If your gums are not ideal, then you may want to check with a dentist because underlying systemic problems are linked to the bacteria specifically found under the gumline.
Be sure to check back for part 2 where we evaluate the teeth.
If you are in San Diego or if you are looking for a San Diego Dentist, please check out our office as we provide thorough gum examinations.
888-825-5351