Receding gums are a common problem that happens when gum tissue pulls back and exposes the roots of a person’s teeth. There are many possible causes of receding gums, and depending on the cause, Dr. Ting can provide an effective receding gum treatment to restore a patient’s dental health.
Causes of Receding Gums
There are many reasons why a person may experience receding gums, some of them due to poor persona habits, and others are simply due to factors beyond our control.
Overly aggressive flossing and brushing. In our quest to keep our teeth, gums and mouth in tip-top condition, sometimes we can overdo it. There are right ways and wrong ways to floss and brush, and if you don’t take care of business the right way, you could actually being doing yourself a disservice. It’s best to use a “soft” bristled toothbrush and make sure that you’re brushing according to accepted standards instead of scrubbing so hard that you cause damage to your teeth and gums.
Poor oral care. The opposite of brushing too aggressively is not doing enough brushing or flossing to take care of your mouth. Either extreme can lead to receding gums.
Grinding your teeth. Also known as bruxism, is caused by grinding your teeth in your sleep even if you are not aware you are doing so. Teeth grinding not only damages teeth and gums, it can cause other health problems as well. Fortunately, it can be treated with a mouth guard or other options once it has been diagnosed.
Genetics. Sometimes, despite our best oral hygiene efforts, we are victims of our own DNA. If one or both of your parents have had receding gums, there’s a chance you may encounter it at some point as well.
Trauma or abnormal tooth positions. A blow to your mouth can cause trauma to your teeth and gums, resulting in receding gum issues. Likewise, if your teeth are not aligned properly, you could also experience receding gums.
Receding Gum Treatments
Depending on the cause of your receding gum issue, Dr. Ting will implement an appropriate course of treatment. Many times, this will include a deep cleaning known as scaling and root planing, along with detailed aftercare instructions on how to brush and floss properly.
In other cases, you may need to have surgery to replace lost tissue. This is known as a gum graft and can be accomplished in several different ways.
The most important thing a patient can do is to seek treatment as soon as they become aware of a receding gum issue. Left untreated, receding gum problems can only grow worse, leading to longer and more complicated solutions to repair any oral damage.
Think Oral Implants and Periodontics serves patients in Paoli, Malvern, Berwyn, and surrounding Pennsylvania communities.