Did you know that 38% of people aged 30-39 have some sort of Gingival recession? Gingival recession, or receding gums, occurs when the gum line wears away or recedes from the teeth, leaving the tooth roots exposed. Since gums are a crucial part of the health of our teeth, it's important to stay informed about their health.

Dentist trips are usually unpleasant and expensive, it's better to use preventative measures to avoid any decay over time.

In this guide, you'll learn more about the causes of receding gums and how to treat it. There'll also be information about treatments if you're already noticing problems with your gums.

Read on to learn more.

What Are Receding Gums?

You can tell your gums are healthy by looking at how they fit around the crown of your teeth. If they fit snugly then they're likely healthy. If the gum seems to pull away or recede, there might be an issue.

At times you'll even see the tooth's root. As gums recede, gaps form between the gum and tooth which makes it easier for bacteria to build up. Once that bacteria builds, the surroundings around that tooth can get damaged.

If it gets bad enough, you can cause permanent dental damage. It isn't always easy to tell you to have gum damage, especially in the beginning. That's why you need to take a look at some of the symptoms:

• Bleeding after you brush or floss
• Bad breath
• Red, swollen gums
• Pain at the gum line
• Exposed tooth roots
• Gums visibly shrinking

If you have multiple of these symptoms, it might be time to see your dentist.

Causes of Receding Gums

There are many reasons why you could have receding gums. Most of it can be traced back to different lifestyle choices. If you have symptoms of receding gums, you'll want to look over the causes as well.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease, also called gum disease, is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. This is mainly caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow bacteria to build on your teeth.

Periodontal disease is common but it's also preventable. Bad dental hygiene is the main culprit. Brushing and flossing every day will help prevent periodontal disease.

This disease is no joke, it can cause tooth loss and the bacteria can travel through your bloodstream through gum tissue. This can affect other parts of your body, periodontitis is linked with respiratory disease and arthritis.

Aggressive Brushing

Surprisingly, some of the most avid teeth cleaners are the ones with receding gums. This is because they scrub aggressively which wears down their gums. This can also cause your teeth to be extra sensitive.

Use a soft-bristled brush and place your toothbrush with the tips of the bristles at a 45-degree angle to your gums. Then continue to brush as you normally do but don't push hard on your toothbrush, don't squash the bristles.

Teeth Grinding and Clenching

Many people grind their teeth at night. That's why there are mouth guards for people to wear at night. If you're someone who grinds or clenches their teeth, you're putting extreme pressure on your teeth that can lead to gum recession.

To combat this, consider getting a mouthguard and adopting stress management habits. If you can get teeth grinding under control, you'll be less likely to cause damage to your teeth and gums.

Injuries to the Mouth

While not as common as the other causes, mouth injuries have been known to cause receding gums. Direct trauma to the gum tissues can cause immediate damage. Some of the most common injuries related to gum recession include:

• Hard falls or contact sports
• Poorly administered dental procedures
• Wearing ill-fitting partial dentures

If you experience a mouth injury, you should also watch for damage to the gum area.

Available Treatments

If the recession of the gums is too severe, it might be too late for simple treatments, you might need surgery. If it is a mild case of receding gums, you might want to try a natural remedy for gum recession. Let's take a look at your other options.

Deep Cleaning

If your gum recession is mild then consider getting a deep cleaning. This is a thorough and careful cleaning of your entire mouth. The dentist will remove any plaque and buildup from the root of your teeth right below the gumline.

This is also called tooth planning and tooth scaling. During this process, your tooth roots will be smoothed down. Since bacteria are less likely to attach themselves to smooth surfaces, it'll help prevent future damage.

Gum Grafting

Gum crafting occurs for slightly more severe cases. This is a quick and relatively simple process that includes taking your own solid gum tissue or utilizing a gum joining material. Then the dental specialist may prescribe you to see a periodontist who specializes in the gum tissue.

Regeneration

This is a similar type of surgery to gum grafting. In this case, the dentist will fold back the gum tissue and clean it. This removes all the bacteria. Then a regenerative material will be applied to encourage naturally regenerate bone and tissue in that area.

The material is usually something like a membrane, graft tissue, or tissue-stimulating protein.

Better Informed About Receding Gums

Although gum recession is common, it's good to take preventative measures by practicing proper dental hygiene. Knowing the causes of receding gums can help you adjust your lifestyle to lower the risks. The risks are nothing minimal either, you can lose a tooth or have other parts of your body infected.

Be sure to brush your teeth every day, floss twice a day, and smile often.

If you enjoyed this, there's plenty more to read, check out our blog for more!