Have you ever taken notice of those dark spaces that form at the bottom of your teeth? These are often called black triangles and can be quite unattractive. Not only that, but there are dangers to these black triangles. This space was once filled with papilla which is the gum tissue residing between your teeth. As time goes on, this tissue recedes and these black triangles form instead.
Causes of Black Triangles
Some causes of this phenomenon could include:
• Periodontal disease
• Misaligned teeth
• Bone loss
• Trauma to the teeth or gum
• Scaling or root planning that wasn’t done properly
• Receding gums
Does Flossing Cause Black Triangles?
Flossing should be an important part of your daily dental routine. Flossing itself doesn’t lead to black triangles, but the way you clean your teeth could. If you brush too hard or floss aggressively, you can cause your gums to recede. When that happens, the black space appears in between the teeth.
Treating Your Black Triangles
To treat the black triangles, you’ll first need to determine what caused them. The dentist will be the person most equipped to figure that out for you and then, the two of you can work together on a treatment plan.
If black triangles are caused by crooked teeth, you can use dental crowns, veneers or orthodontics to fix the situation. If they are due to your receding gums, then gum rejuvenation treatment might be a great option to consider. This plan allows your gums to restore their natural appearance without any further surgery.
Aging also plays a part in black triangle appearance. With that said, this can occur during any stage of life and isn’t something to get worked up about. It tends to be mainly a cosmetic issue and there are easy fixes. Don’t wait to discuss treatment with the dentist because food and bacteria will get caught in this area of the gumline. This can lead to further dental issues down the road in the form of tooth decay or gum diseases. You don’t want to end up losing teeth over something that could have been corrected.