Bothell Gum Recession

Gum Recession

If you’ve noticed that your teeth look a little longer or your gums seem to be pulling back from your teeth, you have Gum Recession.

This can have several causes. The most serious cause is periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. While there’s no cure for periodontal disease, you can and should manage it. The health of your mouth and teeth depend on it.

In a healthy mouth, the gums are pink and the gum line is consistent around all the teeth. If gum recession develops, the gums often look inflamed. The gum line also looks lower around some teeth than around others. Gum tissue wears away, leaving more of a tooth exposed.

Gum recession can happen slowly, so it’s important to take a good look at your gums and teeth every day. If you notice receding gums and you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, make an appointment soon. You can take a look at our Bothell Dental Exams & Cleanings to evaluate your teeth.

Symptoms of Gum Receding

In addition to less gum tissue around the teeth, gum recession often result in:

• bad breath
• swollen and red gums
• a bad taste in your mouth
• loose teeth

You may notice that your bite is different. You may also notice some pain or that your gums are especially tender. One of the major concerns with receding gums is that they become more susceptible to bacteria growth. This is why regular dental checkups and good and daily oral care is essential.

Causes of Gum Recession

Gum recession has many causes. The most serious is periodontal disease. Other causes include:

• old age
• poor oral hygiene
• medical conditions, such as diabetes

Is your toothbrush causing your gums to recede?

Brushing your teeth too hard may also cause your gums to recede. Here are some tips for brushing your teeth:

• Use a soft toothbrush instead of one with hard bristles.
• Be gentle as you brush. Let the bristles do the work, not your arm muscles.
• Brush at least twice per day, and for at least two minutes at a time.

Treatment for Gum Recession

Gum recession can’t be reversed. This means receded gum tissue won’t grow back. However, you can keep the problem from getting worse.

Treatment usually depends on the cause of the gum problems. If hard brushing or poor dental hygiene is the cause, talk with your dental hygienist about changing your brushing and flossing behaviors. Using a daily mouth rinse that fights plaque may help get plaque between teeth. A dental pick or another type of interdental cleaner may also help keep hard-to-reach areas clean.

Mild gum recession increases your risk of bacteria forming in pockets around the affected area. Gum disease can develop more quickly where another gum disease exists. However, mild gum recession doesn’t necessarily put your mouth at increased risk of gum disease.

You may need to have occasional deep cleaning treatments called “scaling and root planing” to treat gum recession. During scaling and root planning, your dentist will clean tartar and plaque from the surface of your teeth and the roots of your teeth.

If gum recession is serious, a procedure called gum grafting can restore lost gum tissue. This procedure involves taking gum tissue from somewhere else in the mouth and grafting or attaching it to an area that’ lost gum tissue around a tooth. Once the area heals, it can protect the exposed tooth root and restore a more natural look.

More services:

• Dental Exams & Cleanings
• Periodontal Disease Diagnosis
• Periodontal Disease Maintenance
• Periodontics-Pocket Irrigation