Receding gums can occur for many reasons, from aggressive brushing to gum disease, and aging to genetics. While receding gums can’t “grow back,” they can be restored and, more importantly, prevented. Here we look at receding gums, the possible causes, and tips for prevention and treatment.
What Causes Gums To Recede?
Several factors can contribute to gum recession, including:
- Periodontal disease: Your gums, alveolar bone, ligaments, and cementum help keep your teeth securely in place. Known as the periodontium, this system can become inflamed when plaque buildup accumulates, leading to periodontal/gum disease. Infection and inflammation of the gums can also impact other parts of your periodontium as the disease progresses. However, one of the common symptoms of progressive gum disease is a receding gumline as the gum and other connective tissue start to deteriorate and pull away from the teeth.
- Improper brushing technique: Although brushing helps keep your teeth and gums healthy, and you absolutely need to brush your teeth, doing so using the wrong technique can cause gums to recede. This includes aggressive brushing, applying too much pressure, using hard-bristled toothbrushes, and using broad, horizontal motions.
- Teeth grinding and clenching: If you grind or clench your teeth at night, the constant pressure and motion can cause gum recession.
- Aging: As we age, the alveolar bone and soft tissue can weaken and lead to receding gums.
- Injury: Injury to the gum tissue can also cause gums to recede.
- Smoking: Receding gums have been linked to smoking, with smokers twice as likely to experience gum recession.
Can Receding Gums Grow Back?
No, receding gums cannot grow back.
Can Receding Gums Heal?
Yes, with proper care and specialized treatment, receding gums can heal. Treatment for receding gums includes:
Improved brushing technique
If your dentist finds that your receding gums are caused by poor brushing technique, they will offer solutions to improve your brushing habits. This might include:
- Guidance on proper brushing, such as using a gentler touch, brushing in smaller strokes, etc.
- A softer toothbrush or a special brush with a force detector
- Less abrasive toothpaste
- Sensitive toothpaste
- Increased dental cleanings and exams to ensure you are making progress with your new habits
Scaling and root planing
Scaling and root planing are special cleaning techniques that remove plaque and tartar trapped below your gumline. Root planing is required for more serious issues where the plaque and tartar are located at the roots of your teeth. Following planing, your dentist will reattach your gums to your teeth.
Gum graft surgery
For severe cases, gum graft surgery (GGS) takes tissue from other areas of your mouth to help rebuild your gums where your tooth roots are exposed.
Pinhole surgical technique
Pinhole surgical technique (PST) is less invasive than gum graft surgery. In this case, your dentist makes tiny holes in your gum tissue where the root is exposed and manipulates the gums away from the tooth so it can be repositioned over the exposed root.
How to avoid receding gums
You can prevent receding gums using the following tips:
- Stick to a good oral hygiene regime: Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day before bedtime. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush, and be sure to replace your toothbrush every two to four months or following a cold or flu.
- Improve your brushing technique: Keep your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle when brushing your teeth. Always use gentle pressure as you brush in a circular motion, reaching the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of each tooth. Brush for two minutes. If you tend to brush quickly or with too much force, consider investing in an electric toothbrush with a timer and pressure sensor.
- Wear a mouthguard at night: If you grind or clench your teeth at night, speak to your dentist about a customized nightguard or “splint.” If you can’t afford a professionally made nightguard, use over-the-counter mouthguards from your local drugstore. These are affordable, customizable options made of a material that becomes malleable when heated. You can bite into the guard when warm to create a secure fit for your teeth. Although the fit won’t be as good as that from a professional mouthguard, it will provide more protection than not wearing one.
- Check partial denture fit: If you wear partial dentures, you should have them checked twice a year to ensure a proper fit. When partial dentures don’t fit properly, they cause gum irritation that can lead to gum recession around your natural teeth. As your mouth changes with age, issues such as shrinking bone and gum ridges, jaw alignment, and wear and tear on your dentures can all contribute to poor denture fit. Your dentist can assess your dentures and determine if they need adjustment or replacement.
- Schedule regular dental checkups: Your dentist or hygienist will measure your gums to look for signs of recession or deepening pockets around your teeth. They use a probe to measure the depth of your gum pockets and compare them to measurements taken at your last checkup. Healthy pockets range between 1-3 millimetres. If they spot deeper pockets, you could have gum disease, gum recession, or both. Your dentist can assess your gums and come up with a treatment plan before your recession progresses.
How To Stop Receding Gums From Getting Worse
It is often possible to stop receding gums from worsening using a scaling and root planing treatment. Your dentist can remove plaque and bacteria below the gum line and smooth your roots to prevent bacterial growth so your gums can heal.
Can Receding Gums Come Back?
No, once gums have receded, they can’t come back. However, restoration is possible through gum graft surgery. You may also wonder if gum recession can start again once you have surgery or manage to halt the process through other measures; the answer in this case is yes. Unfortunately, if you are prone to gum recession or revert to old habits that contribute to gum recession risk, your recession can progress to a more severe level where further treatment is required.
Call today to discuss your gum health at 416-232-2033, or click here to request an appointment.