As you age, you may notice that your gum line is beginning to recede. Unfortunately, a receding gum line can cause sensitivity and pain around your gum line.
This condition can happen for a number of reasons and cannot be reversed. The good news is that there are treatment options that can help protect your gums or correct some of the damage.
Your dental doctor at Heroes Dental offers a few treatment options to ensure you get the best results.
What Causes a Receding Gum Line?
The single biggest cause of receding gum lines is poor dental hygiene. Another major factor is genetics; some people are genetically predisposed to having thinner gum tissue compared to others, regardless of how well they take care of their gums.
Other common causes include:
- • Periodontal disease
- • Injury to your gum tissue
- • Using tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars, or chewing tobacco
- • Dental plaque or tartar that has built up
- • Being too aggressive when you brush
- • Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw to the point it puts pressure on your teeth
- • Piercings to the lips or tongue
- • Hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause
Get a Happy Smile Again With These Treatment Options
While you can’t reverse a receding gum line, you do have options to protect the gum you have left.
To begin treatment, you’ll need to visit with your dental doctor for an exam, which will let them figure out the best way to prevent further issues. What follows is a list of potential treatment options:
Nonsurgical Treatments
Your dental doctor has a few nonsurgical options that may potentially work for your situation. The various treatment plans will vary depending on your unique needs and what will give you the best chance at relief from the discomfort of a receding gum line:
- • Dental scaling to remove plaque and tartar
- • Root planing during a deep cleaning to discourage bacteria and help your gums reattach
- • Antibiotics
- • Orthodontics like braces to correct misaligned teeth
- • Dental bonding to cover the painful, exposed root
Receding Gum Line Surgery
In some cases, the best way to get your happy smile back is to have surgery. Your dentist may be able to provide a few surgical options for treating a receding gum line, including:
- • Gum graft from the roof of your mouth, donor tissue, or your own healthy gum tissue
- • Regeneration for any missing jaw bone by placing a regenerative material such as a membrane or graft tissue in the missing areas of bone
- • Pocket reduction by folding back the gum tissue, removing bacteria, and then putting the gum back to reduce pockets or eliminate them entirely
Let Your McAllen Dentist Help You Get a Healthier Smile
You don’t need to suffer from the discomfort caused by a receding gum line — let your dentist help you.
Whether you just want to get ahead of potential future gum problems with regular cleanings or you’re already on the path of gum recession, there is help. The team at Heroes Dental is here for all your dental needs. Make an appointment today!