Gum Disease And Receding Gums
Gum Disease And Receding Gums
Many of our patients come to us after experiencing some form of gum recession. They are alarmed because gum recession alters the appearance of their smile and makes them feel self-conscious. They wonder why their gums are receding and ask whether anything can be done to fix the problem.
In this article, we will discuss the causes of gum recession and provide some tips on what you can do to improve your dental health.
Gum Recession Causes
Gum recession has several potential causes. That’s why we must get to know your individual situation before creating a treatment plan. However, the most common causes of gum recession are:
• Genetics: Some people are predisposed to suffer from gum recession despite being diligent about their dental hygiene.
• Age: Our gums tend to recede as we age.
• Smoking / vaping: Smoking and vaping damage your dental health by irritating the gums, restricting blood flow, and retarding the healing process.
• Aggressive tooth brushing: Brushing your teeth too hard or using a stiff-bristled brush can damage your gums and cause recession.
• Teeth grinding: Grinding your teeth or clenching your mouth puts pressure on your gums, weakening them over time.
• Misaligned teeth: Misaligned or crooked teeth create hard-to-clean areas in your mouth. Gingivitis often builds up in these areas and irritates the gum tissue.
• Hormonal changes: Hormonal changes that take place during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause affect the entire body and occasionally have a negative impact on the gums
Gum disease and receding gums
While there are many potential causes of gum recession, the number one cause is gum disease. Not only is gum disease quite common (almost half of all American adults have it), but gum recession is one of the leading symptoms of the disease.
How does gum disease contribute to gum recession?
Gum disease starts with the buildup of sticky bacteria (a.k.a. plaque) on the teeth. If the plaque is not removed regularly by brushing and flossing, it can harden and become tartar. Tartar is different than plaque because it can’t be removed by brushing and flossing alone. It can only be removed from the teeth by a dentist and from below the gumline by a periodontist.
Once tartar takes hold, it provides a perfect surface for bacteria to adhere and grow. This bacteria is toxic to your tissues and irritates the gums. Irritated gums are often red and inflamed and bleed easily. Eventually, the gums and underlying tissues succumb to the infection and break down.
How can you stop gum recession?
If your gum recession is caused by age or genetics, you should be extra diligent about brushing, flossing, and getting regular periodontal cleanings. This extra bit of preventative care will help to keep your gum and bone tissue intact for years to come.
However, if your gum recession is caused by smoking, aggressive brushing, teeth grinding, misaligned teeth, or gum disease, you must address and remedy the underlying cause. For example, we work with orthodontist partners when our patients have gum recession caused by misaligned teeth. By straightening the teeth, we are able to stop the gum recession. Once the teeth are straightened, we often perform gum grafts to fix the recession and give our patients the beautiful smile they have always wanted.
How to stop gum disease-related gum recession?
To stop gum disease-related gum recession, we must remedy the underlying infection. The treatment plan we pursue depends on the individual. Some patients simply require regular periodontal deep cleanings, while others need traditional gum surgery or LANAP laser gum disease treatment. After we have succeeded in stopping the underlying infection, we make sure it does not return and try to fix the damage that the disease has caused.
We can help stop your gum recession
Our periodontists have decades of experience successfully treating gum recession and gum disease. We genuinely care about our patients and work hard to ensure you are comfortable with your treatment plan. Contact us to start solving your gum recession problem today.