gap between teeth treatment

Receding gums is a growing concern for patients and dentists alike. Read more to know all about this dental condition…

Receding Gums: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

Receding gums is quite a common problem that causes gaps to form between the gum and tooth. Dental problems that arise out of this are multiple, with the primary issue being build up of disease-causing bacteria. With this bacteria built up, there are many associated risks such as damage to the surrounding tissue and bone structures of the teeth — leading to tooth loss. Simply put, a healthy gum structure is pink and consistent around the teeth. However, receding gums often look inflamed with the tissue wearing away, exposing the tooth.

Diagnosing Receding Gums

A dental hygienist or dentist can usually spot receding gums right away. While the dental problem is quite common, many are not aware of this condition for a long time. However, here are some symptoms of receding gums:

• Long Teeth: This visible symptom gives an appearance of lengthened teeth.
• Exposed Roots: This is caused by harsh brushing of teeth and can make them extremely sensitive making the roots vulnerable.
• Loose teeth: With receding gums, your teeth will get loose as the gums are affected due to loss of structure.
• In addition to what’s mentioned above, there are a few more noticeable symptoms such as bad breath, swollen, red gums and a weird taste in the mouth.

Causes of Receding Gums

Numerous factors can cause your gums to recede, with periodontal disease being the main cause of gum recession. Other causes may include genetics, brushing teeth aggressively (causing the enamel to wear), improper dental hygiene, fluctuating hormones, use of tobacco, smoking, teeth grinding, health conditions like diabetes, and trauma to the mouth. 

Treating Receding Gums

Deep cleaning:

Gum recession is not reversible; however, you can keep the problem from getting worse. Minor gum recession is easily treated by an expert/dentist with deep cleaning in the affected area. Here, plaque and tartar is removed and the exposed root area is smoothed over.  A dose of antibiotics are also prescribed to kill any remnants of bacteria. If the condition is severe, receding gums surgery may be required.

Switch brushing style:

If hard brushing or poor dental hygiene is the reason, discuss the same with your dentist and switch to healthier brushing and flossing habits.

Mouth wash:

Using a daily mouth rinse that fights plaque or any interdental cleaner may also help keep hard-to-reach areas clean.

Dental procedure:

For some serious gum recession problems, the dentists may require to perform occasional deep cleaning treatments called “scaling and root planing”. For other serious cases, a procedure called gum grafting can restore lost gum tissue. As the name suggests, the procedure involves taking gum tissue from somewhere else in the mouth and attaching it to the place where the tissue is lost.

Braces, bands:

In many other cases, the gap between teeth is treated with braces.  Depending on the size, cause, and location of the space between your teeth, the dentist will help you choose the best procedure to fix the gap or gaps in your teeth with braces or tooth bands. 

Simple ways to prevent gum recession

The simplest way is good oral hygiene. Daily brushing and flossing is the best way to prevent gum recession. Lifestyle changes such as not smoking, having a balanced diet, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables will go a long way in maintaining healthy mouth health.

The best advice to anybody would be to visit the dentist at least twice a year to detect problems early on, maintain dental hygiene and live a problem free dental life.  

Follow your dentist’s instructions about proper oral hygiene. The earlier you or your dentist can spot problems, the more likely you’ll be able to prevent them from getting worse.

If you are considering fixing the gaps in your teeth, and want to get it right the first time, set up an appointment for a consultation. If your gums are receding or you have other dental concerns, it is best to get it checked by one of Bellevue Dental’s experienced cosmetic dentists. We have highly skilled and experienced dentist team who will guide you to the optimal solution.

For more information, visit https://www.bellevuedentalhealth.com/

You can book an appointment at https://www.bellevuedentalhealth.com/contact-us/