In addition to affecting your teeth, smoking can destroy your gums, leaving them dark and puffy. While it’s best to drop the habit altogether, your dentist can perform gum dermabrasion, gently buffing away the top layer of tissue to accelerate cell turnover, remove discolored tissue, and stimulate new gum growth.
The single-visit procedure, technically known as gingivoplasty, is performed under local anesthesia, usually in less than an hour, and results in very little discomfort. After gum dermabrasion, your gums may look a little rough for about a day. But because the top layer of the gums is not very vascular, most patients experience little to no bleeding.
It’s important to keep the area clean with a prescription antibacterial mouthwash. There are no stitches or bandages, and repeat treatments are not needed, except for when touchups are necessary, with results lasting about a year.
You can resume gently brushing your teeth and gums a day after the dermabrasion, but stick to a soft diet minus anything spicy for the first week after treatment to prevent irritation.
