You may have spotted the warning signs when you brushed your teeth today: blood in your saliva or red, swollen gums. Or maybe your dentist has advised you that you have receding gums.
Other people suffering from the early signs of this problem could be completely unaware that it is progressively getting worse. Less obvious symptoms of receding gums include heightened sensitivity; teeth that appear to look longer; a rougher surface at the base of a tooth; or even bad breath that only other people have noticed.
Receding gums can be a painful condition to deal with. It may also be distressing if you believe it looks unsightly or your tooth feels loose.
Unfortunately, receding gums is a common condition, particularly among teenagers, though it can happen at any age.
Getting to the root of the problem
In order to understand how best to treat the issue, it’s worthwhile recapping what causes receding gums in the first place.
Clearly, if you don’t carry out a basic oral hygiene routine daily, then you leave yourself wide open to problems such as this. Insufficient teeth cleaning can lead to gum disease – such as gingivitis – which often goes hand-in-hand with receding gums.
Ironically, you can also cause yourself receding gums if you brush your teeth too much – too often and with too much force.
Many people create problems with their gums by using ineffectual or even hazardous toothbrushes (with splayed or too hard bristles). It can also happen if you floss too vigorously.
Grinding your teeth in the night or having misaligned teeth can also be the root cause of gum problems.
Due to one or several of these factors, your gums can start to draw back from your teeth, leaving gaps that are the perfect resting place for bacteria and debris. If these pockets of foreign bodies aren’t cleaned up sufficiently with careful tooth brushing, you risk even more serious health complications. This includes having teeth falling out.
Get your tools right
The solution is undoubtedly getting the right equipment and substances, then engaging in a regular and thorough dental care routine.
To begin with, use a good quality toothbrush with soft bristles. It’s also important you change your toothbrush (or electric toothbrush head) every three months. Even a single bristle that has been pushed out of shape can damage your gum line so don’t take the chance just because your toothbrush looks good as new many months down the line.
Brush gently, but methodically and thoroughly. Start at one side of your mouth and work across, making sure you don’t leave any areas unattended.
Taking shortcuts in your tooth brushing because your gums are sore or bleeding is just going to make the situation worse. So using gentle brushing motions for a sufficient time to thoroughly clean every tooth is vital at this stage.
Try to angle the toothbrush so it cleans around your gum line effectively, without digging into your gums or pulling on them.
This all gives your gums chance to grow back healthily.
Electric toothbrushes to help receding gums
Can a manual toothbrush be as effective as an electric one in tackling oral health issues, including receding gums? Recently, research has shown that the best electric toothbrushes can make a substantial difference in various ways. This includes reducing gingivitis (gum disease) by up to 11% more than manual brushing, over three months of use.
If you want to find the best electric toothbrush to treat your receding gums and also remove plaque effectively, check out this invaluable source of battery toothbrush reviews.
Visiting The Dentist
If you are suffering from receding gums, the dentist may want to see you more often, meaning you’re going to need to make sure that your teeth are looked after if you want to avoid a scolding. Your dentist may also need to show you particular ways to brush your teeth, and will generally recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush in order to help protect your gums in order to ensure that you do not loose teeth.
