Are Your Gums Receding?

Imagine how would your teeth look, if they were not supported with gums? How weird would that look? Gums, scientifically known as the gingivae, are pinkish fibrous dental tissues that cover the roots and the alveolar bone, in addition to firmly holding the teeth in their sockets. The gums form a seal, and prevent any damage to the periodontal structures (structures surrounding the teeth).

What is Gingival Recession?

The definition of gingival recession is any medical or dental condition that results in loss of gingival tissue or retraction of gums from their original dental attachment, the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ). This is a common problem among elderly people as a result of senile body changes. However, this condition can also appear in younger patients, due to underlying infections.

What Are the Causes of Gingival Recession?

Various causes of gingival recession have been identified:

• Poor Oral Hygiene – failure to maintain a good dental hygiene results in plaque deposition, and subsequent calculus formation. This can result in development of various gingival or periodontal conditions, an obvious sign of which is gingival inflammation (gingivitis) as well as recession.
• Overzealous Brushing – it is a common misconception among people that the more forcefully they brush their teeth, or the harder the bristles of their brush are, the cleaner their teeth will be. Unfortunately, this is not true, and use of excessive force during brushing will cause tooth abrasion as well as gingival recession. Therefore, it is advisable to use a soft brush, and apply gentle pressure while brushing your teeth.
• Hereditary causes – in some genetic conditions, the gingiva are inherently thin and weak. As a result they are more vulnerable to injury.
• Smoking and Tobacco Chewing – these habits can cause direct injury to the gums. In fact, recession is a protective mechanism of the gums against trauma and injury.
• Scurvy – it is a painful condition involving the gingiva, which is caused as a result of Vitamin C deficiency.
• Tooth Crowding – whenever the teeth are improperly aligned or crowded, cleaning becomes difficult, which can, in turn lead to gingivitis and recession.
• Placement of Dental Appliances Around Gums – sometimes, prosthodontic appliances, such as crowns, or orthodontic appliances such as bands and brackets are placed in the sub-gingival region, which may cause gingival irritation, and consequently gingival recession.

What Is The Treatment of Gingival Recession?

In mild cases, this condition is usually self-healing, and is reversed as soon as the problem is identified and removed. However, in long standing and severe cases, the damage to the gums and the periodontal regions is generally permanent. In these cases, gingival surgery to re-attach the gingivae at their appropriate place is required. Following surgical procedures can be performed:

• Pocket depth reduction
• Gingivoplasty
• Soft tissue graft

In addition to surgical treatment, antibiotic therapy to eliminate the infection is also required in most cases.

How to Prevent Gingival Recession?

• Maintain Good Oral Hygiene –The most important step in prevention of gum recession is regular brushing and flossing. If oral hygiene maintenance is satisfactory, the chances of plaque deposition and calculus formation are minimized, thereby directly reducing the chance of gingival or periodontal infections.
• Avoid Overzealous Brushing – the lesser damage to gums, the fewer chances of gingival recession.
• Visit Your Dentist Regularly – this will help in early diagnosis and in-time management of any developing gingival or periodontal condition.

The gums are very sensitive tissues of the oral cavity and vital to tooth positioning. So every effort must be undertaken to look after their health and intervene if there is a problem. Worried that your gums aren’t in top shape? Give our office a call to schedule an appointment for our dentists to take a look.