Receding gums are remarkably common, especially in people over 40. When the gums recede, they appear to pull away from the teeth, exposing the surface of the tooth root and gradually making the tooth appear visibly longer. The gums can recede for a few different reasons, including periodontal disease, and damage to the gum tissue is, unfortunately, irreversible; it is possible, however, to stop the gums from receding and restore the tissue to health.
The most common symptoms of receding gums are similar to the symptoms of general periodontal issues and can include swelling and redness in the gums, pain or sensitivity in the teeth and near the gum line, bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth, and bleeding following brushing or flossing the teeth. When the gums have receded substantially, their final stage of recession causes the teeth to loosen, as the gums can no longer hold them in place effectively. When this is caused by periodontal disease, once the gums have begun to loosen their hold around the teeth and pockets form between the gums and teeth, these pockets become increasingly susceptible to bacterial colonization, which, in turn, increases the risk of additional inflammation and recession. The more they’re neglected, the worse they’ll get, and the higher the likelihood of tooth loss, bone loss, and the loss of healthy gum tissue.
Gum recession is most often caused by gum disease, which results from poor oral hygiene and the accumulation of calcified dental plaque, especially at the gum line. The gums might also recede because of medical conditions like diabetes, habits like smoking or tobacco use, certain medications that cause dry mouth, aggressive brushing, misaligned teeth, chronic clenching or grinding of the teeth, or even a family history of periodontal disease. If you suspect that your gums are receding, see your dentist right away. If you have periodontal disease that’s causing gum recession, treatment can stop the problem from getting worse.
If the gums are too far gone, periodontists might also use gum grafts or other regenerative techniques to repair the gums. If your gum recession is caused by improper brushing or other friction, your dentist will work with you to eliminate this issue, and if recession is because of tobacco use or medical conditions like diabetes, your dentist will help you connect with the right medical specialists and techniques to nip the problem in the bud.
In many cases, when receding gums are intercepted early on, they respond well to treatment and it’s likely that you’ll be able to stop the recession from getting worse. Because the gums recede gradually, however, you might not notice that it’s happening, and regular dental checkups can mean the difference between routinely managed gum recession and loose or lost teeth. When gum recession is caused by periodontal disease, treatment of periodontal disease will help keep the gums from receding more and can also help keep the teeth safely protected by healthy gum and bone tissue over the long term. While gum tissue won’t regrow, its destruction can be slowed or halted with some professional attention and at-home care.