Receding Gums Symptoms

Gum recession is typically a result of periodontal disease, but it can be a side effect of certain lifestyle factors or even some prescription medications. Medical conditions such as untreated diabetes and HIV can cause gum recession, as can tobacco use and overly aggressive brushing. Some gum recession is normal as we age, but your dentist will be able to determine if your recession is normal or if something more critical is happening.

Between each tooth and the gum tissue surrounding it are little pockets where plaque and bacteria love to hide. Without regular oral hygiene and professional cleanings, plaque can calcify into tartar, which is not something that a patient can remove on their own. Tartar removal requires the tools and expertise of a dental hygienist. In healthy gum tissue, pocket depths measure between 0 and 3 millimeters. Patients with pocket depths measuring higher than 4 millimeters may need periodontal treatment.

What are the symptoms of receding gums?

Symptoms of gum recession include tender and swollen gum tissue, sensitivity or pain along the gum line, bleeding gums when eating or performing oral hygiene, and exposed roots. The clearest symptom of gum recession is tooth elongation. If your teeth are beginning to appear longer than they used to, you may be suffering from gum recession.

All of the symptoms are indicative of periodontal disease as well, but gum recession rarely happens without periodontal issues. Another sign that you may have gum recession is chronic bad breath, called halitosis, that does not go away after brushing and flossing.

How are receding gums treated?

Depending on the severity of your gum recession, your dentist will provide treatment options and help you determine which is right for you. Patients with minor recession usually have great success with a deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, whereas patients with severe gum recession will need to see a periodontist for more specialized treatment.

Most dental offices perform scaling and root planing, which is a non-surgical procedure used to clear out tartar and bacteria from deep within the gum pockets. Treatment is typically completed over the course of two visits, one side of the mouth being done at a time. This is only because a local anesthetic is administered to the area being treated, and your doctor will want to avoid your entire mouth being numb all at once. Once the pockets are clean, this gives your gum tissue a healthy foundation to heal closer to the tooth root.

If you need to see a periodontist for treatment, there are non-surgical laser options available as well as surgical treatments, including flap surgery and gum grafting.

Left untreated, gum recession can lead to bone loss and eventually tooth loss. Tartar and bacteria will begin to eat away at the underlying bone structure and, in turn, cause tooth mobility. Any changes to your oral health should be addressed by your dentist as soon as possible. As with many things, the sooner a dental problem is caught, the easier it is to treat, and the likelihood of permanent damage is lower.

Related Article: Stop Receding Gums from Getting Worse