Your gums are an integral part of your mouth (and your oral health as a whole); they protect the roots of your teeth from coming into contact with substances that could damage them, hold your teeth firmly in place to create an even, straight smile, and can help you gauge the overall health of your mouth just by looking at their color. But when you've got just too much gum in your mouth, it can be both visually unappealing and cause some oral health problems. So if you're wondering about what laser gum reduction can do for you and your mouth, then here's what you need to know.

How Does Laser Gum Reduction Work?

Laser gum reduction aims to get rid of excess gum that can make your teeth look small and/or misshapen. In the past, gum reduction was done exclusively with a scalpel, but advances in technology allows your oral health specialist to instead use a small dental laser (which is specifically made for dealing with teeth), which cauterizes the gum as it cuts through it, leading to less pain and less bleeding. Your dentist or oral surgeon will first apply some anesthesia gel to numb your gums so that you don't really feel any pain. They will then take a dental laser and cut the excess gum tissue off, creating a gum line that is both straight and aesthetically pleasing.

How Long Does Laser Gum Reduction Take To Heal?

Because the laser is so well designed and cauterizes the wound immediately, the healing time is vastly shorter than it was with the scalpel method. You'll be able to drive home right after having the procedure done (though for your own comfort, it's recommended you have someone else drive), and many people report feeling completely healed in a matter of days. While some take a bit longer to heal, it's generally within the window of two weeks from your appointment to heal completely – quite a short time, considering that you've had your smile completely reshaped.

How Intense Is Recovery?

Despite the fact that the surgery completely changed the way your mouth looks, the recovery is not bad at all. You'll feel a bit of discomfort once the numbing gel wears off, but some ibuprofen (aspirin is not recommended, since it can increase the amount you'll bleed) will take care of that in a jiffy. Your dentist will tell you when and how intensely you can brush your teeth, but to avoid delaying your healing process, try to eat only soft foods for the first week, and avoid anything super spicy or super sour to reduce the stress on your mouth.

For more information, contact experts like George J Mendel DMD.