Even with excellent homecare and regular dental visits, you may still experience gum recession at some point in your life. In fact, it affects, to some degree, the majority of our population.
According to Oral B, “Gum recession is when the margin of the gum tissue surrounding the teeth wears away, or pulls back, exposing more of the tooth, or the tooth’s root.” Notably, gum recession is often a slow process, and one day you might look at your teeth and realize they appear “longer.”
Causes of Recession
- Anatomy/type of tissue
- Irregular tooth position
- Periodontal Disease and plaque along the gumline
- Aggressive brushing
- Trauma
- Chewing Tobacco
Treatment for Recession
If left untreated, recession will continue to increase. Although this progression may be slow, the resulting bone loss is irreversible. To prevent further recession, your dentist will need to determine the cause.
In some cases, they may advise treating the cause (such as quitting tobacco, brushing less aggressively, or treating periodontal disease) and then monitoring the recession for any further progression. Alternatively, in other cases, they might recommend a gingival graft.
Undoubtedly, one of the single most important controllable factors for preventing recession is your oral health. Consequently, maintaining regular hygiene visits with your hygienist and implementing a sound home care routine is crucial.
This routine should include brushing twice daily and flossing daily, which will significantly decrease the onset and progression of recession. Moreover, if you have any questions or areas of concern, please don’t hesitate to let us know at your next visit!”
References
Oral B:
https://oralb.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/gums/receding-gums-symptoms-causes-treatments
JADA
https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(14)63227-X/fulltext