Receding gum lines are a fact of life for some people. This can be caused by a variety of different factors, including thumb sucking in childhood or adult teeth grinding. For many people, this is an undesirable condition—not only because it looks unsightly but also because it affects oral hygiene. In this ultimate guide, you will learn everything you need to know about this condition.
What are receding gums?
It is also known as recession alveolar mucosa. The condition is characterized by a receding or retreating gum line, which is the first sign of the condition in many people. The gum line recedes because of loss of bone in the region and loss of supporting tissues. The condition may be mild or severe and may vary among individuals, depending on their age, health status, and other factors such as smoking and drinking habits.
It can cause problems with chewing food properly, such as swallowing large pieces of food or using chewing gum incorrectly. It can also lead to tooth decay if left untreated because food gets stuck in between the teeth when you eat it.
What causes it?
There are a variety of reasons why a patient may experience receding gums, some more serious than others. It is usually caused by a combination of certain factors, such as:
Brushing and flossing too vigorously
Brushing too hard can cause receding gums. If you have to use a heavy hand when brushing, that may be a sign that you need to look into a different type of toothbrush. A soft-bristled brush is best for people with sensitive gums or receding gum lines.
Periodontal disease
Gum disease is the most common cause of receding gums. Periodontal disease occurs when bacteria in your mouth affect the attachment of your teeth to their supporting bone. If this attachment is lost, your teeth will become loose and may eventually fall out. Gum disease can also make it difficult for you to clean between your teeth effectively when you are brushing or flossing.
Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes can be a major cause of receding gums. The most common cause of gum recession is pregnancy. During the 9 months, your body goes through many changes, including hormonal fluctuations that affect your teeth and gums. When you are pregnant, you are more likely to have poor oral hygiene habits and an increased risk of plaque buildup because you are more prone to fatigue and stress. Increased levels of estrogen and progesterone can also cause gum recession during pregnancy.
Pregnancy isn’t the only time when hormones can wreak havoc on your gum health. Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can also increase your risk of gum recession by changing estrogen levels in your body. If you use birth control pills or HRT therapy, talk to your doctor about ways to prevent gum recession or treat it once it starts happening.
Tooth grinding or clenching
If you grind your teeth at night (bruxism), you may wear down your enamel and expose pulp tissue. The pulp is a soft material inside the tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves. When exposed, the nerve endings can cause pain and sensitivity in the tooth, which will require receding gums treatment.
Nutrition
People who don’t get enough vitamins and minerals in their diet are more likely to have this condition than those who eat well-balanced meals every day. The disease can also be caused by anemia (low red blood cell count), which affects oxygen delivery throughout the body — including the mouth.
Side effects from medications
Steroids, birth control pills, and other medications can cause your gums to recede. If you take these medications, talk to your doctor about adding them to your dental care routine so that your dentist from Southland Dental Care can monitor any side effects and provide receding gums treatment.
Trauma to the mouth
Trauma to the mouth can also cause this condition because it causes inflammation in the mouth. When your gum tissue becomes inflamed, it can form a pocket between the tooth and gum that leads to recession. A minor trauma, like biting down on a piece of food too hard or having a toothbrush caught on your gum tissue, can cause this inflammation or even tooth loss hence the need for receding gums treatment.
Poor oral hygiene habits
Some people don’t brush their teeth as often as they should or floss regularly — which makes their gums more susceptible to disease and infection than those who do brush their teeth regularly. Unhealthy eating habits can also make it harder for you to keep your teeth clean because they lead to plaque buildup on your teeth. It’s important that you brush at least twice a day for two minutes each time and floss once daily — even if you have braces. You should also see your dentist for regular checkups so that any problems with your gums are caught early on before they become serious, or you will have to undergo intensive receding gums treatment.
What are the common receding gums side effects?
Gum recession can be a painful and embarrassing problem. You might not notice it until you see signs of your teeth showing through the gums. This is when it’s time to call your dentist for an evaluation. Receding gums symptoms and side effects include:
Uneven gum line
The most commonly known receding gums side effects is a change in your gum line. You may notice that you have more space between your gums and teeth than you used to or that your teeth seem longer and pointier. Over time, these signs of gum recession can lead to problems with tooth decay and sensitivity.
Exposed tooth roots
If you see any exposed parts of your tooth roots when you smile, talk or bite down on something hard, you may have gum recession. Teeth with exposed root surfaces are more likely to decay than covered teeth because bacteria can get between your tooth and its protective coating (enamel) — leading to decay beneath your gums and even tooth loss.
Tooth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity is among the common side effects because the condition exposes more tooth structure to plaque buildup and acid erosion. If you’re experiencing this problem, consider switching to an electric toothbrush with a massage setting that can help keep teeth clean without damaging them further.
Chronic bad breath
Bad breath is among the common receding gums side effects because bacteria have more access to food particles trapped between teeth and gums when they are exposed due to receding gums. You can combat bad breath by brushing twice a day with antimicrobial toothpaste and flossing every evening before bedtime.
Pus around the teeth and gums
As gum recession progresses, it can become more serious and cause infection. The infection can spread to the bone and nerves in your mouth. While this is a rare complication, it is possible for bacteria from the infected area to enter your bloodstream through the roots of your teeth. This can lead to other infections throughout your body. If you experience pus around your gums or any other signs of infection, it’s important to see a dentist right away.
Loose teeth
This is among the most common symptoms of gum recession. This often happens when the gum tissue has receded so far that it no longer supports the tooth roots properly. As a result, your teeth may become more prone to shifting or moving around in your mouth, and you may even experience tooth loss if there isn’t treatment.
Red, irritated gums
The most common symptom of gum recession is redness and irritation of the gum tissue around your teeth. You may also notice that food tends to get stuck between your teeth when eating hard foods like bread or corn on the cob. Your dentist may also be able to see signs of gum recession during a routine cleaning or check-up appointment if he or she uses an explorer tool to lift up your gums and examine them closely for signs of gum recession.
Severe pain when chewing or brushing your teeth
Gum recession can also cause pain in your mouth, especially when biting down on something hard like food or biting into an apple slice. If these signs happen to you frequently when eating certain foods, there’s a good chance that you are experiencing gum recession due to aggressive chewing habits or frequent grinding of your teeth during sleep at night when stress is high, and your jaw muscles are tense from clenching them tightly together in your sleep as part of bruxism (grinding).
How is gum recession treated?
Most people are curious to know, is there any treatment for receding gums? ell, yes, there is; the following are the best treatments for receding gums.
Dental implants
There are many different ways to see the signs of receding gums. One ultimate guide is through dental implants, which are artificial roots that are placed in your jawbone to replace missing teeth. Dental implants can be used to replace one or more missing teeth or multiple missing teeth at once — meaning you won’t have to rely on dentures for support anymore.
Dental implants are artificial roots made from titanium that are placed into your jawbone to support false teeth or dentures. The implant consists of two parts: one screw-like fixture that is inserted into the bone and another piece that attaches the artificial tooth or denture to it.
A full dental implant installed by the Best Dental Implants specialist in Los Angeles replaces the entire tooth root; it’s not just a crown that covers the top of an implant. The crown part of this type of restoration is made from porcelain fused to metal (PFM) so that it blends in with other teeth in your smile.
Gum recession treatment with full mouth dental implants has been proven effective in many cases over many years. If you have been living with gums exposed to gum recession, it may be time to consider full mouth dental implants as an alternative to having your gums trimmed back every few months or dealing with constant irritation from flossing and brushing around exposed roots.
Deep cleaning
Deep cleaning is another ultimate guide to treating signs of receding gums; it refers to any procedure where you are removing plaque and tartar from below the gum line. The process can be performed by your dentist or hygienist and often includes scaling with hand instruments, ultrasonic scalers, curettes, and even lasers.
Removing plaque and tartar below the gum line helps prevent teeth from becoming infected or developing periodontal disease hence reducing the chances of receding gums symptoms. This is especially important for patients with gum disease as it helps prevent further destruction from occurring in these areas.
During this gum loss treatment, Southland Dental Care will use special tools to remove the buildup of plaque and tartar below the gums. In addition to scaling, they may also use other methods like root planing to eliminate any remaining pockets of infection to deal with receding gums symptoms, which are especially common in patients with periodontal disease. If necessary, they may also place special antibiotic sealants inside your teeth in order to help prevent future infections from occurring.
Antibiotics Prescription
Antibiotics are prescription medications used to treat receding gums symptoms. They work by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. Antibiotics gum loss treatment is the most common antibiotic treatment prescribed to treat gum recession and signs of receding gums. It works by killing bacteria in your mouth that may be causing inflammation and irritation of the gums.
The most common cause of gum recession is periodontal disease, which is an infection that leads to inflammation in your gums; antibiotic prescription can help control these infections and prevent more damage from occurring.
Flap surgery
Flap surgery is a popular form of treating signs of receding gums. Flap surgery is also known as tissue expansion or tissue grafting. This gum loss treatment involves taking a small amount of tissue from another area of the mouth, such as the palate or cheek, and placing it into the area where gum recession has occurred. This allows the gum line to be raised and stabilized. This can also help prevent a further recession from occurring.
The most commonly used type of flap surgery for gum loss treatment is called an advancement flap procedure. In this type of procedure, a section of healthy gum tissue is removed from the roof of your mouth (palate) or your upper jawbone (mandible). The remaining gum tissue is then stitched together in order to create more room for your lower teeth to sit comfortably in their sockets.
This creates enough space for your gums to reattach themselves to their original root structure, which stabilizes your lower teeth and prevents further recession from occurring. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
How do you prevent gum recession?
You can prevent gum recession by taking care of your teeth and gums. Here are some recommendations:
Brush gently
Another ultimate guide is using less force when brushing your teeth. If it hurts when you brush, then back off on the pressure until it doesn’t hurt anymore. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and only brush up and down in short strokes — don’t scrub or use circular motions on your molars or front teeth (posterior teeth) because this can damage enamel and irritate sensitive gums around posterior teeth that have been exposed due to gum recession.
Consider using an electric toothbrush
The bristles on an electric toothbrush are soft, which makes them ideal for people with sensitive teeth. In addition, there are no hard bristles that can cause gum recession or damage your gums. Since most of these brushes come with a timer, you can be sure that you are brushing for the recommended time period. An electric toothbrush will also remove plaque better than a traditional manual brush. The bristles on an electric toothbrush vibrate fast enough to loosen plaque before it can form into tartar.
In addition to preventing gum recession, using an electric toothbrush can also help prevent cavities by removing more plaque than a regular manual brush. When plaque is removed from the mouth regularly, bacteria cannot form and cause cavities or gum disease over time.
Quit smoking
Quit smoking as soon as possible. It’s never too late to stop smoking, even if you’ve already suffered some gum recession. Quitting can help improve the condition of your gums and prevent further damage.
Smoking causes gum recession because nicotine narrows blood vessels in your mouth and reduces the amount of oxygen that gets to the tissues in your mouth. This makes it harder for your body to repair damaged tissue, which may lead to tooth loss.
Avoid whitening treatments that increase sensitivity
For gum loss prevention, avoid whitening treatments. Whitening treatments can be found in dental offices, drugstores, and online. They use chemicals or lasers to remove stains from your teeth. Some of these treatments can cause sensitivity in your gums, which can lead to gum recession. Whitening products are also not recommended for people with gum disease or those who have had recent orthodontic procedures on their teeth.
Treat teeth grinding and clenching early on
The other step in preventing gum recession is to treat teeth grinding and clenching early on. If you’re experiencing symptoms like jaw pain, headaches or earaches, see the best periodontist in Los Angeles for an evaluation. He or she will be able to determine whether or not you’re grinding or clenching your teeth at night, which can cause damage over time.
If the dentist determines that you do have tooth grinding or clenching disorder (TMD), he or she may refer you to a sleep specialist for treatment options such as bruxism splints and nightguard devices. These custom-made mouth guards help protect your teeth from excessive wear during sleep by limiting their exposure to harmful forces such as chewing or biting down hard on them during an episode of TMD. For gum loss prevention, avoid clenching your teeth as much as possible.
Visit the dentist regularly
Your dentist will check for signs of gum recession during routine cleanings and exams, so go at least twice a year (or more if recommended by your dentist from Southland Dental Care). If they find signs of gum disease or other issues with your gums, they’ll give you recommendations on how to improve their health and gum loss prevention.
Use a mouthwash that fights gingivitis
Finally, consider using an antimicrobial mouthwash every day for gum loss prevention. These products contain ingredients that fight off bacteria in your mouth and help prevent gingivitis or periodontal disease from developing in the first place.
The best way to prevent this condition is to keep them clean. Visit a dentist at Southland Dental Care at least twice a year and have a dental hygienist do the cleaning for you to prevent early signs of gum recession. Do not forget to floss your teeth after every meal because that helps to get rid of the particles that stay between your teeth and can lead to plaque. To deal with receding gums, give us a call today.