Receding gums

What are receding gums?

Ever get a sting of pain from eating ice cream? You could be suffering from gum recession, a condition that arises when the gum tissue at the crown of the tooth begins to recede, exposing the sensitive root. It can be present without disease, as certain fragile gum types are predisposed to recession. However, it occurs most commonly when periodontitis (gum disease) is severe.

Symptoms

Teeth may appear longer than usual.
Tooth mobility is affected (teeth wobble or move when pushed).
Dentin Hypersensitivity, or sensitive teeth.
Spaces between the teeth may seem larger (the space is no larger but the gum no longer exists to fill it).
The root of the tooth may be exposed or visible.

Treatment

Gum recession or gingival recession is almost always the result of bad oral hygiene habits and receding gums treatment involves – above all else – tackling the habits that are the root cause of the problem. If, for example, your gum recession is the result of over brushing, our dentist may be able to make recommendations for better brushing techniques or for a more suitable type of toothbrush.

In more severe cases, cause-specific treatment may prove insufficient. In this case, a dentist might refer their patient to an oral surgeon for soft-tissue graft surgery to create new gingiva.