Do Receding Gums Grow Back?

If you've ever been to the dentist and have been confronted with the flossing question-or have been nervous about the looks of your gums-you're not alone.

There are a ton of patients that walk through our doors at Perry Family Dental Care that are unfamiliar with periodontal disease and how it affects our gums. Don't worry! That's our job, not yours.

But we take our job seriously! In this article, we want to make sure you're familiar with the features of periodontal disease and how it affects your gums.

If you're already experiencing a receding gum line, you also might have some other questions for your dentist-like if it actually grows back?

We hope to answer all your concerns here:

Do receding gums grow back?

If you want the most straightforward answer, we're going to have to say no. Especially if the reason your gums have receded is due to periodontitis, then you have a very slim-to-none chance that they'll actually go back to where they originally began.

Although there is bad news in the fact that they won't grow back, there are treatments that you can ask your dentist about that can help slow down the progression or stop it in its tracks.

Receding Gums: A Closer Look

After flossing or brushing your teeth you may end up staring at your mouth just a bit longer than normal-are your gums disappearing or are your teeth getting longer?

When your gums actually start pulling back from your teeth, which may leave the root of your teeth showing, this is called "receding". You might not even visually notice at first!

One of the first signs of receding gums is actually an increase in tooth sensitivity. Eating certain foods may irritate it or drinking cold liquids can bother you.

However, even though you may notice these things-heading over to your dentist is the most accurate assessment you can have, which can help you identify the issue and treat it accordingly.

The Causes:

Gum recession isn't just brought on by one thing. There can be various factors that may lead to gum recession.

Ask your dentist or take a closer look at these next few factors-are you:

Not caring for your teeth well enough? Plaque and tartar can lead to gum disease if you're not regularly brushing and/or flossing. This can ultimately bring on gum recession.
Are you caring for your teeth "too much"? No, that's not really a thing! But you actually may be brushing your teeth too hard-or using the wrong toothbrush. This can break the enamel down and cause gum recession.
Do you grind your teeth at night? If you do put this pressure on your teeth (without meaning too, of course), this can lead to too much of a strain on your gums and cause them to recede.
Smoking can also cause gums to recede, as well as other harmful oral health issues.

Ok, my gums are receding-what do I do?

Whether you first notice it yourself or you need to book an appointment at the dentist to make sure, there are a few things you can do to stop your gums from receding more.

Some gum treatments include:

Scaling and Root Planing - This is a two-part treatment that involves smoothing out your teeth roots. This can help the gums find their way back to your teeth. During this procedure, you might need to be put on a local anesthetic. Most times, this procedure can be done in one visit but may require more.
Gum Surgery: If your case is a bit more severe, your dentist may recommend surgery instead-which can be done through regeneration or through open flap scaling and planing.
Gum Grafts: If your dentist observes that the gum tissue is actually too small or non-existent-which makes it difficult to work with-they may recommend gum graft. This procedure is where gum tissue is taken from other parts of your mouth and then stitched to the exposed root.