Have you ever wondered why your teeth are extra sensitive, especially when drinking something cold or even when you touch your teeth? There’s a chance that you may have receding gums. If left untreated, gum recession can cause even more sensitivity, an increase in tooth decay, and tooth loss. To make matters worse, once gum recession occurs, it can’t be reversed. However, your dentist in Chapel Hill can still help.
Receding gums, or gum recession, essentially means that your gum tissue has started to pull away from your teeth, exposing the roots. Once tooth roots are exposed, they’re left unprotected from the elements including hot and cold beverages – and maybe even your toothbrush. The result is shooting sensitive tooth pain. Gum recession also makes it easier for bacteria to settle into these newly created crevices and cause decay. Lastly, healthy gums are responsible for holding teeth sturdy in place, but receding gums weaken that hold and can result in tooth loss. As we’ve mentioned above, once gum recession starts, there’s no way to regrow lost gum tissue. However, there are still treatment options available, and your dentist in Chapel Hill can help you find the best way to treat gum recession.
Gum recession treatment is highly dependent on the individual case, what caused the recession in the first place, and the severity of the recession. While the effects of gum recession can’t necessarily be reversed, there are ways to prevent further damage and strengthen remaining tissue. Some treatment options include:
There is a multitude of things that can cause gum recession, and this is probably why it’s an incredibly common dental problem that affects many people. Some causes of gum recession include:
Even though there is no way to reverse gum recession, there are ways to treat it effectively. There are also some easy ways to help prevent receding gums in the first place. To best protect yourself, brush and floss every day (but don’t brush too hard!) and see your dentist in Chapel Hill twice a year.
