You may look in the mirror one day and notice a receding hair line, but have you ever considered a receding gum line? The gums may naturally recede from the teeth over time, but unlike the receding of your hairline, the receding of your gum line can be quite dangerous to your dental health.
Gum line recession appears as if the gum line is moving closer and closer to the top of the teeth, but what is really happening is that the gums are slowly removing themselves from the teeth. Many think gum lines recede over time, and this is true, but gum line recession could also be your mouth’s way of telling you something is wrong.
Other Reasons for Receding Gums
A common problem when it comes to receding gums is poor dental hygiene. With poor dental hygiene, bacteria has a chance to flourish on the surfaces of the teeth and this bacteria can affect the gum line. As the bacteria build up in the mouth, it will begin to irritate the gums, which will eventually cause them to recede. If you are noticing irritation alongside your gums receding, it could indicate that you have gum disease and need to see us immediately.
Another common cause for a receding gum line is brushing in correctly. Brushing not at all can cause the gum line to recede but brushing too much or too vigorously can also cause the gum line to recede. Gums can become detached over time from brushing too hard or brushing with the wrong toothbrush. We recommend using a soft bristled toothbrush to combat this problem.
One last problem which may cause the gums to recede is grinding or clenching your teeth during the day or night. Sometimes stress has just as much of an effect on dental health as normal health, and if you are grinding your teeth regularly, it could negatively impact your gum line.
Finally, if you have noticed a recent gum line recession, it could be possible it is due to age. However, if there is pain accompanying the receding of your gums, we recommend calling us for an appointment as the problem could be any number of things.
