Women who wear lipstick know that there are certain shades that just don't look good unless their teeth are perfectly white. The wrong shade of red can make your teeth look more yellow or brown than white, and it's not limited to the color of your lips. If your gums are unhealthy, they can change colors, making your teeth look bad. Instead of bleaching your teeth, read on to learn about what might be wrong with your gums and how you can get it corrected so your teeth look pearly white again.

Pale Gums

Pale gums can potentially make your teeth look less white than they are, because pale gums can potentially look whiter than your teeth. Generally speaking, pale gums may indicate that you're anemic. While anemia isn't necessarily due to oral hygiene, it is a warning sign that's cause for concern. If your gums appear to be white or a very pale pink, you should see your dentist and doctor to check your gums and to see if you're anemic. If there isn't an injury to your gums or mouth, your doctor will probably prescribe supplements to boost your red blood cell levels, which will restore the appearance of your gums.

Red Gums

Red gums can be an eyesore next to your teeth, even if they've been recently bleached. Since red gums usually indicate that there's irritation or infection, they may also be puffy, so the redness may even be visible between your teeth. Gum disease can be easily reversed if it's caught early on, so if your red gums are making your teeth look bad, get to a dentist right away.

Purple Gums

If your teeth are at all yellow or brown, they'll look particularly odd next to purple gums. More importantly, purple gums are a severe sign that there's something wrong with your oral health. Purple gums may indicate that you have a severe form of gum disease, like periodontitis, which requires care from a dentist in order to reverse. Seeing a dentist will not only make your gums look healthy again, but it can prevent the gum infection from spreading to other parts of your body.

If you want to have healthy looking teeth, you should make sure that the gums that frame them look their best, too. If your gums aren't firm, pink, and healthy-looking, you should see a dentist right away to get them cared for. Contact a practice, such as the Centre Family Dentistry, for more information.