Typical Causes Why You Might Have Receding Gums and Ways To Prevent It
ALL ABOUT YOUR GUMS
Even though your teeth are a huge factor in how gorgeous your smile is, your gums are also important. This delicate tissue supporting your teeth is the foundation of your smile and serves the necessary purposes of holding your teeth in position and protecting their sensitive roots. Therefore, gum recession is more pressing than an aesthetic concern. It is a worrisome oral health condition. If you want to keep your gums in good health, you must learn the leading causes of gum recession. Then, you can alter your lifestyle and oral health practices to avoid receding gums. Also, if you currently have receding gums, there are a lot of options for procedures that can aid in maintaining your gumline. At MINT dentistry in White Rock, our knowledgeable team of dental professionals offers preventive care and a full range of interventions for receding gums, which are chosen according to the reason behind your gum erosion. Read on to understand more about gum recession, the causes, and common treatment options. Local individuals who want to maintain the health of their gums and would like to keep their teeth and gums looking great should plan an oral health examination with a dentist in Dallas, TX.
WHY YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT GUM RECESSION
Gum erosion develops when the compromised gumline starts to withdraw from the teeth. An increasing amount of the tooth becomes exposed until, over time, the roots are also bare. Gum recession generally won't develop rapidly. Often, you'll begin to develop symptoms like inflamed and sore gums that bleed for no reason. Pus at your gumline and consistent bad breath (halitosis) are also signs that often develop before gum recession. If you have any of them, you need to schedule a consultation with your dentist in Dallas, TX as soon as possible. If gum recession is neglected, your teeth could start to loosen or fall out because the gum tissues aren't strong enough to hold them in place.
TOP REASONS BEHIND RECEDING GUMS
Sadly, receding gums are not an unusual dental problem, especially for patients past the age of 40. There are numerous causes of gum recession, which will aid your dental practitioner in establishing how to treat yours. A few of the most frequently seen reasons behind receding gums are:
- PERIODONTAL DISEASE
The number one cause of gum recession is periodontitis, the worst stage of gum disease. This disease of your soft tissue might lead to gum recession if not promptly treated. - MALOCCLUSION AND CROOKED TEETH
Like with tooth grinding, crooked teeth and a misaligned bite (dental malocclusion) can put unnecessary pressure on your teeth, gums, and jawbone. Schedule an appointment with your dental practitioner in Dallas, TX to discuss options like Invisalign to safely adjust your bite into the proper position. - HEREDITY
Hereditary factors may make you vulnerable to gum recession, which means it will be more necessary to pay attention to your oral health. Ask whether any close relatives have dealt with periodontal disease and then tell your dental practitioner. - POOR DENTAL HYGIENE
Failing to floss and brush daily causes food remnants and plaque to build up along your gums, which can cause periodontal (gum) disease. Gum disease is a very common reason that people start to develop receding gums. Flossing is especially important in removing this accumulation from your gumline and boosting blood circulation. - TOBACCO PRODUCTS
The unhealthy toxins in all tobacco products can weaken your gums. In addition, though they don't contain tobacco, the sticky elements in e-cigarettes and vaping liquid are also dangerous. Talk about quitting tobacco with your primary care physician and then visit your dental practitioner to discuss your options to bring back your oral health. - HORMONE CHANGES
The shifting hormones that women have during puberty, while pregnant, and all the way through menopause can lead to worsening gum swelling and redness and increased sensitivity. It is quite important to avoid gingivitis during pregnancy because it could affect the health of both the mother and the infant. - BRUSHING YOUR TEETH TOO MUCH
While it might strike you as counterintuitive, scrubbing your teeth too aggressively can also lead to gum recession. Brushing too much or too harshly slowly eats away at the soft tissue. You should be using a brush with soft bristles to brush your teeth and massage your gums. - GRINDING AND CLENCHING YOUR TEETH
Many people grind their teeth and clench their jaws if they are anxious during the day or while sleeping (nocturnal bruxism). The pressure of grinding and clenching erodes your teeth and gums.
YOUR CHOICES FOR MANAGING RECEDING GUMS
To determine the best treatment for your gum recession, your dentist will have to identify the cause. Gum deterioration caused by periodontal (gum) disease will be treated based on how serious your gum disease is. For individuals who present with the initial stage of periodontal disease, referred to as gingivitis, dentists usually perform a number of scaling and root planing (SRP) treatments. A noninvasive deep-cleaning method, SRP therapy eliminates the buildup inside your gum pockets and polishes away pits in the enamel to help avoid future accumulation. If SRP deep cleaning is not sufficient to improve your gum health, or if you have the next stage of gum disease (periodontitis), your dentist may perform periodontal surgery, or they might refer you to an oral surgeon. During this procedure, tiny, precise cuts will be created in your gums to reach farther into your gum pockets and clean any accumulation along your tooth roots. Both SRP treatments and periodontal surgery are usually followed by a cycle of prescription antibiotics to kill any surviving bacteria. Following SRP treatment or periodontal surgery, your dental practitioner will wait a bit for your gums to heal and regenerate on their own. If your gumline remains insufficient, gingival graft surgery may be done. Gingival grafts often use tissue from other places in your mouth, such as the roof of your mouth, to add coverage where required on your gumline. Man-made and donor grafts can also be used for those who don't have enough tissue to create a robust gumline. Once you have healed from gum grafting, it is vital that you follow a consistent home oral hygiene regimen and have regular appointments with your dentist in Dallas, TX for annual dental checkups and biannual professional cleanings.
RESTORE YOUR GUMS
Your gums are the foundation of your overall dental health, so you need to be vigilant about your gums to achieve a beautiful smile. Set up a tooth and gum checkup with a dentist if you have questions about gum disease or receding gums. At MINT dentistry in White Rock, our experienced staff of dental professionals provides diagnoses and multiple treatment options for receding gums, including scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery, and gingival grafting. Contact our facility in Dallas, TX to set up appointments for your entire family.