What Causes Gum Recession?

January 26, 2015

Receding gums are a common symptom of a few different oral health issues, and they are also something that most adults will deal with at one point or another in their lives. Minor gum recession is usually nothing to worry about in the long-term, but finding its cause and ensuring that you have a treatment plan worked out with your general dentist in Denton, TX is important if you want to make sure that it is halted while it’s still minor.

Major Causes of Receding Gums

The most well-known causes of receding gums are gum diseases, like gingivitis and periodontitis. Other causes of recession include:

• Hormonal changes, including those caused by pregnancy and menopause
• Aggressive brushing
• Braces and other oral prosthetics
• Lack of dental care
• Genetic causes, including predispositions and hereditary diseases both
• Tobacco and alcohol use
• Grinding your teeth
• Other excessive biting and teeth-clenching activities like stress chewing

Care After Detection

Most gum recession can be prevented with proper brushing practice and dental care. When caught early, recession that is brought on by outside factors like genes or hormonal change can be mitigated and treated before more serious problems develop. In those early cases, the most common treatment is a deep cleaning at the infected site by your dentist. Sometimes, this is combined with antibiotic treatment, but that depends greatly on the patient’s individual circumstances.

In cases where the recession is not halted by those measures, or where it is not caught early enough for them to be effective, there are surgical options. These cover a broad range and depend on the patient’s specific health and level of recession, so it is difficult to make broad predictions about how often they are necessary.

The key to effective treatment is finding a general dentist in Denton, TX with the knowledge and approach that works for you. Make an appointment with Dr. McCracken by calling (940) 293-2090, and learn more about the options that might work for you.

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