Maybe you happened to notice that something looked off about your smile in the mirror, or maybe a friend said something about it over lunch. Either way, the results are in: your teeth definitely look longer. Unfortunately, unlike rabbit teeth, human teeth don’t grow after a certain point. So your teeth aren’t putting on some extra inches. Your gumline is receding.
Now you’re probably asking a lot of questions, “Why are my gums receding?” “Do gumlines grow – can I fix them?” “How do I stop this from happening?”
Keep reading to have those questions answered.
Why Are My Gums Receding?
A lot of factors contribute to a disappearing gumline, including:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Overly-aggressive brushing
- Hormonal changes
- Genetics
- Crooked or misaligned teeth
- Teeth grinding
- Injury
- Tobacco usage
Some of these causes are somewhat self-explanatory, so let’s focus on clarifying the factors you can control.
Plaque buildup from poor oral hygiene will inflame your gums, possibly causing gum disease and ultimately making your gumline shrink. On the other hand, if you brush too hard or floss too much, you’ll wear away your gums just as easily. Teeth that stick out at odd angles will pressure your gums into receding, as will teeth grinding.
Can I Fix a Receding Gumline?
Yes, although you should know that your gums won’t grow back. To restore the proportions in your smile, dentists can offer a few different treatments, but the most common and straightforward is scaling and root planing. In dentist-speak, this is essentially a deep cleaning targeted at your gums and roots. The idea is that once plaque and bacteria are out of the way, your gum tissue will reattach to the surface of your teeth.
How Can I Protect My Gums From Further Damage?
Receding gumlines aren’t a one-and-done treatment scenario, so this is a good question to ask.
To prevent your pink tissue from running away in the future, it helps to maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Brush twice a day, floss daily, and use a soft brushing technique. If your dentist determines that your gums are being bullied by crooked or grinding teeth, additionally investing in alignment treatments or mouthguards will give them the protection they need.
Whatever is causing your receding gumline and however you decide to treat it, it’s important to let your dentist know about it promptly. Without a solid grip on this metaphorical glue, your teeth will start to fall away. The earlier you and your dentist are able to address shrinking gums, the more teeth you’ll save.
About the Practice
Our team at Pleasant Grove Family Dentistry is happy and willing to serve you with routine cleanings and checkups! Drs. Torin Marracino and Nick Cockerell will alert you to receding gumlines and help you prevent further damage. Of course, if you just want recommendations for good oral hygiene habits, you can ask them about that too! Call our office at 903-838-9700 or visit our website to learn more about our services.