Gum recession is, in other words, the recession of the gum line, which will result in, among others, exposing tooth necks and roots, tooth elongation and the appearance of hypersensitivity. How to prevent gum recession and the accompanying bothersome symptoms?
How To Treat A Gum Recession?

How to prevent gum recession?

How To Treat A Gum Recession At The Dentist?

A gingival recession is the exposure of the root surface as a result of a wandering (retraction) of the gingival margin, which elongates the tooth. Usually, the gingival recession occurs at the canines, incisors, and less often the lateral teeth.
This is not only a cosmetic defect. The recession of the gums increases the sensitivity of the teeth to thermal stimuli (heat, cold). Gingival recessions also increase the susceptibility to caries, because the tooth root, devoid of natural protection, is more exposed to external factors. Receding gums may hinder proper oral hygiene, conservative or prosthetic treatment. In extreme cases, the recession may even lead to the inflammation of the pulp and, consequently, the need for root canal treatment.

How to prevent gum recession?

1. Wash gently
Are you brushing your teeth aggressively instead of gently brushing? This is one of the most common reasons for the gumline to drop. Dentists caution that aggressive tooth brushing is not a good tactic and will have consequences for oral health, including gum health.
- Pressing the toothbrush harder does not make the teeth cleaner, because the technique is the key to the effect, not force. The effect of too much pressure will not only be irritation and recession of the gums, but also damage to the enamel of the teeth.

How to prevent it?
- A hard brush combined with overzealousness is a recipe for disaster. We often unconsciously brush our teeth harder, so we should preventively choose a soft-bristled toothbrush and instead of scrubbing our teeth horizontally, we use the so-called brushing technique. sweeping. With this technique, the bristles of the toothbrush are positioned at a 45-degree angle to the tooth surface. The brush movement starts from the gum line down the crown. To weaken the pressure force, we can also brush our teeth with a non-dominant hand. A sonic toothbrush is also a good choice, as it performs the appropriate movements on its own, so it is a great help for the patient.

2. Control tartar
Equally important for the prevention of gum recession is regular flossing of the teeth, which prevents plaque build-up and the removal of tartar during professional dental hygiene treatment in the office.

- If we neglect oral hygiene, the bacterial plaque on the teeth hardens over time into a hard deposit, i.e. tartar. This, in turn, is the main cause of gingivitis and gum disease, with gingival tissue degeneration and recession.

Incompetent, too intensive flossing of the interdental spaces can also contribute to gum recession. A milder alternative for the gums will be a dental irrigator, an easy-to-use device that uses a stream of pressurized water to remove problematic deposits.
- The irrigator generates a pulsating stream of water, thanks to which it not only effectively rinses food debris from the cavities of the mouth, but also gently massages the gums and increases their blood supply. Therefore, for people with gum recession and gingival pockets, it will be an even better, safer option than dental floss.


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3. Don't grind your teeth

Bruxism, or the involuntary grinding of your teeth, can lead to many negative effects on your oral health. The pressure and force that grinding of teeth exerts on the bite may include the cause of the gum recession.

- Treatment of bruxism is always causal, it can be orthodontic or prosthetic treatment, but also reducing the stress that exacerbates unconscious jaw clenching. Another method of therapy are special relaxation rails that the patient puts on to sleep. As a result, muscle hyperactivity is reduced and the effects on teeth and gums are reduced.

Correct bite defects

Malocclusion can also be the cause of gum recession. Teeth crooked or incorrectly positioned in the arch (e.g. crowded or too far out of the mouth) put pressure on the gums and jaw bones, and thus increase the likelihood of gingival tissue receding. In this situation, personalized orthodontic treatment is the solution.

- Orthodontic treatment is a method of treating many dental problems, incl. caries, functional disorders related to the temporomandibular joints, but also gum disease. In the event of a recession, bite correction can either completely correct the recession or slow down its progress.

4. Watch out for piercings

Wearing earrings in the mouth, e.g. on the lip or tongue is dla gum extreme sport. Over time, such jewelry can mechanically injure the gum tissue and cause it to recede. As a result of the recession, the teeth necks and roots are exposed, they become hypersensitive. Effect? Stabbing pain that occurs during brushing, and consumption of cold or hot food and drinks.
- The longer we wear the piercing in our mouth, the greater the chance of gum irritation and a recession. The patient can easily identify the cause, as a recession will appear adjacent to the jewelry.

5. Quit smoking
Whether you smoke cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, or cigars, one thing is for sure - smokers are more likely to experience gum recession. Smoking not only reduces saliva flow and causes tartar to build up faster, but the toxins in cigarette smoke have a significant impact on the soft tissues of the mouth, causing even worse blood supply to the gums and faster development of inflammation. Smokers also have so-called disease masking, which consists in masking the symptoms of gum disease.

As a result, with each cigarette you smoke, the risk of developing gum disease increases and the duration of such therapy is extended. For this reason, dentists advise you to quit or at least reduce smoking - not only for its effects on your gums, but also for your overall health.


6. Examine your teeth regularly

Check-ups at the dentist every six months are the best way to fight a recession because it allows you to nip the problem in the bud and react at an early stage. This is especially important in the risk group, e.g. in men and in the elderly, where gum recessions are more common. During the visit, the dentist will advise you on the best solution.

- Adequate hygiene habits on a daily basis are not always enough. For example, a recession-promoting tartar, which is calcified plaque, cannot be removed with a toothbrush or a thread. The only method of its removal is oral hygiene treatment, which consists of scaling and sandblasting in the dentist's office. In smokers, such treatments may be performed more frequently.


How To Treat A Gum Recession At The Dentist?

Although the gum recession is largely dependent on our habits, the genes that determine specific anatomical features and the tendency to recession also have an impact. This applies, inter alia, to people with a thin biotype of the gum, too shallow the vestibule of the mouth or an abnormal structure of the frenulum of the upper lip or cheeks. What to do when there is a gum recession?
- Gum recession is irreversible, which means that the gums will not return to their correct position on their own. The lack of treatment will lead to the aggravation of this condition and gradual atrophy of the gums, which is not only an aesthetic problem, but above all a functional problem, as it may result in loosening and loss of teeth. Gingival recession also makes orthodontic or prosthetic treatment, e.g. implantation, difficult.

- Therefore, if we notice characteristic symptoms, for example that the teeth appear longer, hypersensitivity appears, and we feel a characteristic cavity at the interface between the gums and teeth, a visit to a dentist specializing in the treatment of gum disease is essential. In the office, the periodontist will carry out the appropriate diagnostics and implement the appropriate therapy.


The dentist can perform a tartar removal procedure and then smooth the surface of the roots, which helps the gum tissue adhere to the teeth. After such a procedure, there may be temporary soreness and hypersensitivity of the gums. If such a procedure does not solve the problem, then more invasive surgery is an alternative.

- In severe cases of recession, we can perform a gum transplant. First, the dentist, after the patient's anesthesia, takes a small piece of connective tissue from the palate area and then covers the recession area. As a result, the reconstructed gum will be thicker and less prone to recurrence of symptoms.

An alternative is also the use of ready-made preparations, e.g. collagen matrices to cover the defect. Each of these treatments reduces discomfort, improves the aesthetics of the smile and the functionality of the gums. However, it may turn out that in many cases the treatment will have to be repeated after some time.


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