If there's one health habit we all stick to, it's brushing our teeth. Though eating five-a-day or doing regular strength training can sometime slip through the net, hardly any of us would consider skipping cleaning our gnashers.
But cleanliness isn't the only dental concern out there. Research shows that 50% of the population have receding gums - otherwise known as gingival recession.
Gum recession is a type of gum disease, which needs to be taken seriously. To explain everything you need to know, we turned to Dr Tilly Houston from Luceo dental surgery.
What are receding gums?
'Gum recession is when the gums start to move away from the crown of the tooth,' explains Dr Houston. 'This starts to expose parts of the teeth that aren't supposed to be seen, namely the root surface. Usually when you have recession, the bone that supports the gum also starts to move away from the crown of the tooth too.'
Normal movement is around 1-3mm, while anything over that is thought to be a sign of gum disease.
What causes receding gums?
Some causes of receding gums include:
- Gum disease
- Misaligned teeth
- Over-zealous tooth brushing (scrubbing the gums too hard)
- Poor oral hygiene
- Smoking
- Genetics
- Aging
- Poorly planned orthodontic treatments
- Grinding teeth
- Piercings (mainly tongue piercings)
- Changes in female hormones during pregnancy and puberty
Why do receding gums matter?
You need to pay attention to receding gums, says Dr Houston. 'When the gums recede, the root surfaces can become exposed to the oral environment. The root surface does not have enamel protection as it is not designed to be exposed in the mouth, so can cause increased sensitivity, as well as increased risk of decay,' she explains.
'The root surface is rougher and so bacteria adhere to it more readily, as well as being softer and less resistant.
'Recession can cause cosmetic issues too - the teeth start to look longer as well as darker and more yellow in colour. As the gums receded the bone also recedes with it. With enough bone loss, the teeth can be come wobbly and fall out.
Are receding teeth inevitable with age?
As Dr Houston mentioned earlier, age is a big risk for receding gums. And in a US study of almost 10,000 people, researchers found that age significantly increased risk of gingival recession, with 38% of people aged 30-39 having some degree of recession, compared with 71% in the 50-59 age group and 90% for those aged between 80-90.
'We expect a small amount of recession to occur with age just through the wear and tear of the gums over the course of someone's lifetime. However, there are many factors that are much more likely to cause your gums to recede than just your age, such as poor oral health,' notes Dr Houston.
So, if you're noticing your gums recede, have pain or spit blood when brushing, it's always worth talking to your dentist.
How to stop receding gums
'As with anything, prevention is better than cure when it comes to gum recession,' says Dr Houston.
Brush better
A simple way to avoid gum recession is to be careful with your brushing technique, ensuring you are not rushing or pressing too hard. You can check your brushing technique with your dentist or hygienist - so make sure you keep regular appointments.
'The most common mistake that I see everyday in the clinic is that when people are brushing their teeth they do not brush the gum line well enough or miss it altogether. This means they leave a build up of plaque bacteria along the gum, which is how gum disease starts,' says Dr Houston.
'The other misconception we see a lot is people thinking if their gums bleed when they brush then they are brushing or flossing too hard, whereas it can be the complete opposite. If your gums bleed, it is a sign that area is inflamed and has not been cleaned well enough previously. I always tell my patients to gently brush through bleeding and work carefully along the gum line. After a couple of days, the bleeding will start to reduce.'
See a professional
'Another way to prevent gum recession is if you are considering straightening your teeth, make sure this is done through an orthodontist or dentist who can plan the tooth movements carefully to ensure the teeth remain in the bone. Do not do mail order tooth alignment system with no dentist overseeing and monitoring your treatment as your risk of gum recession is much higher this way,' notes Houston. 'Some of the worst gum recession I have seen is from patients who have done cheap, online braces and came to me with almost their whole front tooth roots sicking out through the bone and gum.'
Practise good health
Smoking as it is one of the biggest risk factors for gum disease, so stopping is the first step towards better health, says Dr Houston. Keeping up other healthy habits where you can, including seeing a dentist and hygienist regularly to monitor and prevent recession, also matters.
Get treatment
If your gums are already receding, there are treatments. 'Depending on what has caused the gum to recede in the first place, there may be treatments to help improve the position like gum surgery and grafts. If it is gum disease that has cause it, then a through clean to remove all the bacteria under the gum can help stop the progression and prevent any further damage,' says Dr Houston.
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