Can Receding Gums Grow Back?
The term receding gums is used to characterize the condition in which the gums detach and recede, leaving the root of the tooth exposed. This situation causes serious problems for a person’s oral health. For example, when this occurs, small grooves can appear allowing the accumulation of bacterial plaques. Depending on the case, this process makes the gum even more retracted. Without proper treatment, a person may experience tooth and bone loss. It is also very important to note that once gums have receded, they will not grow back. This is why it is recommended that you visit your dentist as soon as you notice anything with your gums. While your gums cannot grow back, there are measures and interventions that your dentist can perform to keep them from receding further.
What are the treatments for receding gums?
There are many things that can cause receding gums. Some of the major causes of receding gums are the lack of proper oral hygiene, natural aging, and even brushing your teeth too hard. The biggest problem involving this condition is that gum tissue has a different regeneration process when compared to other tissues in the human body. Therefore, receding gums do not grow back naturally. If your dentist discovers receding gums, they might recommend one or more of the following procedures:
* Scaling and root planing: This treatment option is among the first alternatives chosen for receding gums. It involves removing tartar and plaque at the bottom of the gum line, where regular brushing is not always effective. Afterwards, the root is straightened, a procedure that helps the gum to reconnect to the tooth.
* Pinhole surgery: this treatment is still not very popular, after all, it is something relatively new. It consists of a procedure considered minimally invasive that allows the dentist to stretch and reposition the gum over the tooth region with the root exposed.
* Graft surgery: when the patient’s gingiva presents severe retraction, gingival graft surgery can be chosen. In this procedure, gum tissue is removed from other healthy areas of the mouth to cover the exposed roots. This technique is very efficient both in preventing gingival recession and in preventing bone loss.
Is it possible to prevent receding gums?
In receding gums, as pointed out, they do not grow back. However, some precautions help slow down and, in certain cases, even interrupt the progress of the retraction. As you can see below, a lot depends on daily care with oral hygiene:
* get into the habit of flossing daily
* make use of fluoride toothpaste
* replace the brushes between 3 – 4 months, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions
* taking care to choose a brush that allows all parts of the mouth to be accessed
* in the case of people who grind their teeth while sleeping, using a mouth guard can help prevent the problem
* avoid the habit of smoking
* maintain routine visits to the dentist’s office
Finally, it is important to highlight that receding gums require the attention of a qualified professional. Therefore, any alternative treatment found on the internet should not be done. Many of these suggestions worsen the patient’s condition, increasing the risk of developing associated problems.