While receding gums are often a sign of poor oral health, early treatment can enhance the appearance and promote oral functioning. Without proper treatment, gum recession can cause a variety of complications, oral and systemic. It is important to understand the signs that indicate the gums are receding, the preventative measures to take, and possible treatments that may become necessary.
Treatment for receding gums is available at Smile Solutions in Pittsburg and the surrounding area. We can help diagnose and treat receding gums, whether minor or severe, through various treatment methods. Call us today at 620-317-0286Â to schedule an appointment or learn more about our services.
Signs Of Gum Recession
For some patients, gum recession may set in subtly and go unnoticed for some time. The aesthetic changes following gum recession are the most apparent. These include visibly shrinking gums and exposed tooth roots. However, other common symptoms include:
- Bad breath
- Bleeding after brushing or flossing
- Loose teeth
- Pain at the gum line
- Red, swollen gums
Patients may experience concerns about their appearance during this time, as well as a fear of losing teeth. Additionally, teeth may be particularly sensitive to cold and heat (due to the exposed tooth roots).
- The aesthetic changes that follow gum recession are the most apparent.
Causes Of Gum Recession
Although gum recession is often a sign of poor oral hygiene, it can occur in people with good oral hygiene as well. Hereditary traits in a person’s oral health can affect the way the teeth position themselves and the thickness of the gums. These traits cause an individual to be more prone to recession. Gum recession in healthy individuals can also be caused by excessive or over-brushing, piercings, and damage from previous dental treatments.
Poor oral health is more often the cause of receding gums. Individuals with thin gum tissue may be prone to inflammation and infection due to increased plaque buildup. Oral health conditions, such as gingivitis and periodontal disease, are also common causes of gum disease. Receding gums are an apparent physical symptom in many oral conditions.
- Poor oral health is more often the cause of receding gums.
Treatments For Gum Recession
Mild gum recession is often treatable through a scaling and planing procedure, also known as a deep cleaning. This treatment involves professional cleaning and removing plaque from the surfaces of teeth and beneath the gum pockets. This also removes or prevents infection that may arise from plaque buildup.
More severe gum recession will require a surgical procedure to treat effectively. Common surgeries for the treatment of gum recession include:
- Open flap scaling and root planing: The medical professional folds back the affected gum tissue, removes the harmful bacteria from the pockets, and then secures the gum tissue in place over the tooth root, thus eliminating the pockets or reducing their size.
- Regeneration: If the bone supporting the teeth has been destroyed as a result of gum recession, a procedure to regenerate lost bone and tissue may be recommended. The professional will fold back the gum tissue and remove the bacteria. A regenerative material, such as a membrane, graft tissue, or tissue-stimulating protein, will then be applied to encourage the body to regenerate bone and tissue in that area naturally. After the regenerative material is put in place, the gum tissue is secured over the root of the tooth or teeth.
- Connective tissue graft: In this soft tissue graft procedure, a flap of skin is cut at the roof of the mouth (palate), and tissue from under the flap, called subepithelial connective tissue, is removed and then stitched to the gum tissue surrounding the exposed root. After the connective tissue — the graft — has been removed from under the flap, the flap is stitched back down.
- Free gingival graft: Tissue is taken directly from the roof of the mouth instead of under the skin.
- Pedicle graft: If there is enough gum tissue surrounding the affected teeth, then it is possible to graft gum from near the tooth instead of removing tissue from the palate.
The type of surgery will depend on the patient’s case, age, risk factors, medical or oral health conditions, and the severity of evident gum recession.
- More severe gum recession will require a surgical procedure to effectively treat.
Prevention
Following basic oral hygiene practices is usually enough to prevent gum recession. This includes brushing at least twice daily, flossing daily, rinsing after each meal, and visiting the dentist for routine dental checkups and cleanings twice yearly. However, individuals who are at higher risk for gum issues or notice early signs should exercise more precautions. We recommend avoiding plaque-building agents, such as acids and sugars, and visiting the dentist more frequently for deep cleanings to keep the gums clean and healthy.
Going Without Treatment
Receding gums cause thinning of gum tissue, a leading pathway for plaque buildup. Plaque is the single most common cause of infection or gum disease and, in advanced cases, periodontal disease. These diseases of the gums are responsible for edentulous, also known as tooth loss. Weakened gums also loosen the secure hold that gums have on the teeth, which can lead to jaw damage over time. It is crucial that patients seek treatment for gum recession immediately.
- Receding gums cause thinning of gum tissue, a leading pathway for plaque buildup.
Risk Factors
Individuals with healthy pink, firm gums should not worry about gum recession. However, if symptoms and signs appear, a thorough oral evaluation is recommended. It is also advisable to know the risk factors to better evaluate one’s likelihood of acquiring gum recession.
Medical News Today lists the four most common risk factors of receding gums: age, tobacco, diabetes, and genetics. A study found that 88% of individuals 65 years and older have gum recession, and 50 percent of people 18 to 64 years of age have one or more sites with recession. People who smoke, struggle with misalignment issues, or have diabetes, have a higher chance of acquiring gum recession.
- People who smoke, struggle with misalignment issues, or have diabetes, have a higher chance of acquiring gum recession.
Frequently Asked Questions
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By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with treatment options.
Gum Disease Terminology
Chronic periodontitis is the most common form of periodontitis, involving inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth and pockets forming as well.
Necrotizing periodontal disease is an infection that causes lesions to form on the face and other symptoms due to the necrosis of gingival tissues, periodontal ligaments, and alveolar bone.
A periapical cyst is a pathological cavity, roots of the teeth, that typically has epithelium in the lining and contains fluid or soft matter.
Periodontal disease is a serious inflammation of the gingival tissues and the periodontal membrane of the teeth that causes pain and helps form a deeper gingival sulcus.
Periodontal ligaments are a group of tissue fibers that help attach the tooth to the alveolar bone, which can sustain damage from gum disease or improper oral hygiene.
A periodontal pocket is a potential area of space, known as a gingival sulcus, which is deeper than normal and can contain bacteria that cause an infection.
Periodontal surgery is the treatment of extreme levels of periodontal disease that can involve multiple techniques to remove the inflamed tissue and infection before it spreads.
Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical therapy that involves the removal of dental plaque in hard-to-reach places in patients who do not take proper care of their teeth.
Tartar forms when plaque builds up on the surface of the teeth and calcifies into a hard surface that is much more difficult to remove and will require professional treatment.
Call Us Today
Gum recession can be stressful to experience. We at Smile Solutions may be able to help. Call us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.