dental hygiene
Yes, treated, but tissue usually doesn’t grow back on its own once it’s lost. Good news is surgery isn’t automatic either. What happens next depends on why it’s receding and how much tissue’s already moved away from the tooth.
Why Your Gums Are Actually Receding
Sometimes surprisingly simple. Brushing too hard gradually wears away the gumline, especially with a firm brush and plenty of pressure behind it.
Gum disease is another common reason. Inflammation damages the supporting tissue, gums pull away, expose more of the tooth. Sensitivity near the gumline or a tooth suddenly looking longer often follows.
Can Brushing Actually Make It Worse
Absolutely. More pressure was never meaning cleaner teeth. Scrubbing hard because that seemed like good brushing, ease off.
Soft brush, gentle movements, much better approach. Feels almost too easy at first, but your gums were never asking to be polished.
How You Actually Fix It
First job’s stopping whatever’s causing the recession. Gum disease involved, dentist focuses on getting the inflammation under control. Brushing’s the problem, changing technique matters most.
Mild recession, that’s sometimes enough to prevent the gumline from getting worse. Exposed tooth can be treated too if sensitivity’s bothering you.
Lost tissue doesn’t simply return from better brushing though. Deeper recession or significantly exposed root, a gum graft might be recommended. Dentist or specialist adds tissue to the area, covers more of the exposed root.
What If You Don’t Want Surgery
Avoiding treatment isn’t always the better choice though. Recession keeps progressing, more root gets exposed, leads to sensitivity and makes the area harder to keep clean. Dentist checks whether monitoring and preventive care’s enough or grafting makes more sense.
Can You Stop It From Getting Worse
Soft brush’s the easy starting point. Gentle brushing around the gumline, less pressure, much kinder to thin tissue. Gum disease behind it, professional cleaning matters since hardened buildup can’t be brushed away yourself. Tooth grinding deserves attention too, especially waking up with a sore jaw or unusual wear on your teeth.
What Treatment Actually Involves
A dentist measures the recession and checks the health of the surrounding tissue properly. Receding gums aren’t something you can accurately diagnose from a mirror alone.
So can you actually fix them? Treat the cause, protect the area, and in suitable cases restore lost tissue with a graft. Waiting for the gum to grow back by itself though, that’s where things get frustrating.
Disclaimer
The information shared in our articles is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional dental advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Every smile is unique, and only a qualified dental professional can assess your individual oral health needs. If you have any concerns, please book an appointment with our team or consult your local dentist.
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