Gum Recession Problems

If your gums are starting to recede, further issues are likely to arise unless you take preventative action.

People tend to focus on their teeth when brushing them, and, as a nation, we aren’t particularly keen on using dental floss, with only around one in five of us doing so. Because of this, gum disease is quite common in this country despite the fact that it is usually relatively easy to prevent. When people suspect they might have gum disease, they often look for well known symptoms such as bleeding gums and bad breath. There is another symptom though which sometimes goes unnoticed, at least initially, but which can lead to more problems. That is when the gums start to recede.

As we will see shortly, good gum health is important and good home care and professional cleaning from our Canterbury dental hygienist will go a long way to ensuring a healthy set of gums.

Gun recession problems

Let us take a look then at some of the effects that receding gums can have, and why you should take action now to prevent it from occurring.

Sensitive teeth

One common and very noticeable symptom when gums start to recede is that of sensitive teeth. This can be uncomfortable and, in some cases, quite painful, especially when consuming anything hot or cold. The reason for this is that as gums recede, the root part of the tooth becomes more exposed and this is not as well protected by enamel as the rest of the tooth. Desensitising toothpaste might help alleviate the painful symptoms but they don’t address the ‘root’ of the problem and other issues can also occur, as we will see next.

Tooth decay

Because the roots of the tooth are less well protected by enamel, this not only means that tooth sensitivity is more likely, but that your teeth are also more prone to tooth decay. The acid producing bacteria will not have to penetrate strong tooth enamel when it comes to the root section of the tooth and decay and cavities are more likely to occur. While teeth can be filled in this area, it may cause some weakening of the tooth and it is far preferable to maintain healthy teeth and gums to avoid this happening.

Aesthetics

Some patients of the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic may have heard the saying ‘long in the tooth’, usually referring to someone’s age. This originates from the fact that receding gums is more common in older people and therefore their teeth may appear to be longer than someone younger with healthy gums. With people being more conscious about their smiles these days, sometimes paying good money for cosmetic dental treatments to achieve their best possible smile, it makes no sense to neglect the gums and spoil their smile by having what some call, rather unkindly, ‘horsey teeth. Look after your gums, and they will look after your smile.

Tooth mobility

Receding gums can lead to tooth movement, causing them to become wobbly or loose. This can be linked to advanced gum disease (see above) known as periodontitis. This not only attacks the gums and causes recession, among many other unpleasant symptoms, but can also reach the bone holding the tooth in place As this becomes damaged, the tooth can loosen in the socket and start to move around or even fall out. Even if periodontitis doesn’t cause this, it is worth remembering that your gums also play some role in supporting the teeth into place and if they do recede, your teeth lose this support.

Looking after your gums – the three pronged approach:

There are three key, and straightforward things that you should do to maintain healthy gums and we have listed these below.

1 – Brush your teeth well. Don’t just ‘flat brush’ them though and ensure that you point the bristles gumwards so that they reach into the gum line, removing food particles and bacteria from there,

2 – Use dental floss. It isn’t hard and takes just a little practice. If you really struggle, ask one of our Canterbury dentists team to demonstrate how to do this. This is an excellent way of removing food and bacteria from areas of the tooth that toothbrush bristles often cannot reach.

3 – See the hygienist. A six monthly visit to have your teeth and gums professionally cleaned by our hygienist is a great way to maintain healthy gums and to have a cleaner mouth. The scale and polish procedure that they carry out is non-invasive and will give a real boost to your overall oral health.

If you suspect you have gums that are starting to recede or have any other dental issue you are concerned about, please don’t delay and get in touch with Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic today. You can call our friendly reception team on 01227 463529.