If you’ve recently noticed that your gums are receding, it’s only natural to worry. Receding gums can lead to a variety of complications, including tooth sensitivity, root exposure, and tooth pain. Long-term gum recession can lead to tooth loss, as the gums protect the sensitive roots of your teeth. Luckily, dentists today know a lot more about how to fix receding gums, and it’s important to understand how recession occurs to adopt habits that can prevent it.
In this post, we’ll look at 5 amazing ways to fix receding gums, both through preventative and proactive measures.
Why Do I Have Receding Gums?
The foremost reason for receding gums is a poor oral hygiene routine. Brushing and flossing regularly increase the chances of maintaining healthy teeth and gums. It also minimizes the risk of periodontal disease and gets rid of cavity-causing bacteria. However, it’s important not to brush too aggressively, as this can irritate the gums and cause them to shrink and recede. Smoking or using tobacco products can also cause gums to recede, as they loosen gums and restrict blood flow around them. Lastly, clenching or grinding your teeth (a condition known as bruxism) can also cause receding gums.
What Do Receding Gums Look Like?
If your teeth appear “long,” or your gums appear puffy, red, swollen, or inflamed, you could have gum recession. Your gums may have shrunk to the point that more of the tooth is being exposed. However, periodontal disease can progress to the point that the roots of the teeth become exposed, which can be quite painful. You may find it difficult to eat or chew hot or cold foods. It’s important to fix receding gums as soon as you notice them.
Five Ways To Fix Receding Gums
- Scaling and Root Planing
- Regeneration
- Gum Tissue Graft
- Composite Restoration
- Taking Care Of Your Teeth
Think of scaling and root planing as a “deep clean” procedure. A dentist will “scale” the tooth and remove any built-up layers of tartar and plaque that are impossible to remove with a normal toothbrush. They will then fold away gum tissue as needed and remove any accumulated debris or bacteria from there. Thorough rinsing and cleaning are followed by “planing” the root area or smoothing it out so bacteria cannot attach themselves as easily.
If your gum disease has progressed so far that cleaning is not enough to fix it, a regeneration procedure might be necessary. The dentist will insert a special, stimulating protein within the affected gums to promote the growth of gum tissue.
Another regenerative procedure is the gum tissue graft. Healthy gum tissue is taken from either the palate (roof of your mouth) or an adjacent, healthy tooth and grafted onto the damaged area. The healthy tissue will grow around the graft area and heal naturally.
Composite restoration is a procedure that involves using composite resins, colored appropriately to match your teeth, to cover any exposed roots. This protects the sensitive roots and eliminates any gaps between the teeth and gums.
However, the best method of fixing receding gums is simply taking excellent care of your teeth.
Conclusion: Taking Care Of Your Teeth
Of course, the best way to prevent receding gums is to take excellent care of your teeth. You can correct mild gum recession by adopting a thorough oral hygiene routine. Rinsing, brushing, and flossing regularly and carefully will keep harmful bacteria away. This may allow the gum line to regenerate itself. For advanced cases, a qualified professional dentist or periodontist (gum specialist) will be able to perform a procedure to fix your receding gums.
With over 13 years of combined experience, Hermosa Dental uses the most advanced technology to perform safe and comfortable dental procedures for all of our patients. We’re open on weekends and offer convenient and affordable appointments. If you have any questions or concerns, we’d be happy to help you. Call us at (713) 695-3400 for our East Little York location, (832) 427-1797 for our Highway 6 location, and (281) 747-7004 for our Porter, Tx location.