Gum Recession: What is Good for Gum Recession?
Gum recession, called periodontitis, is a common infectious disease that tends to damage the soft tissue and bone structure responsible for supporting the teeth. If gingival recession is not intervened, slow and progressive losses may occur in the alveolar bone tissue around the tooth. Plaque formed by bacteria is a colorless and sticky membrane that forms on the surface of the tooth and is the primary cause of gingival recession. If plaques are not cleaned regularly, these membranes harden over time, resulting in the development of structures called dental calculus. Therefore, maintaining oral hygiene is the most important step that can be taken against gum recession.
What is Gum Recession (Periodontitis)?
Gingival recession is a serious infection that occurs in these structures and is usually caused by bacteria that multiply on the basis of poor oral hygiene. If gum recession progresses, various damages may occur to teeth and bone structures. However, with early diagnosis and appropriate intervention, the damage can be stopped. Gingival recession is a disorder that starts as a mild inflammation and worsens over time. The inflammation phase called gingivitis refers to the initial period of this disease. The first complaint that occurs with the development of gingivitis, which means inflammation of the gums, is bleeding gums that usually occur during tooth brushing. In addition to gum bleeding, tooth discoloration may also occur in cases of gum recession during the gingivitis period. These formations, called plaques, consist of bacteria and food residues. Although bacteria are naturally found in the mouth, which is the beginning of the human digestive system, they tend to have harmful effects only when their numbers exceed normal. This usually occurs after the person does not pay attention to oral hygiene. In the next stage, the early periodontal disease stage, the person’s gums begin to gradually recede. During this recession, small pockets between the tooth and gum also become visible. As a result of bacteria settling in these spaces and the struggle of the immune system in this area, the gums continue to recede. As in the first stage, gum bleeding occurs during tooth brushing in this stage of gum recession. Cases where periodontal disease is not treated at an early stage may progress to moderate discomfort. At this stage, gum recession becomes evident, and in addition to bleeding, pain around the gums may also be among the complaints. During this period of the disease, teeth that gradually lose their support tissue may become looser and loss may occur. The worsening of the existing infection also causes an increase in the response of the immune system. In advanced periodontal disease, there is loss of the connective tissue that holds the teeth together. Gums, surrounding bone structures and other supporting tissues are severely damaged in this stage of the disease. Patients with advanced stage gingival recession experience severe pain when chewing and very bad breath. Patients with advanced gum recession also complain about the taste in their mouth. In these advanced stage cases, tooth loss is usually included in the disease picture.
What are the symptoms of gum recession?
Symptoms of gum recession vary depending on the stage of the disease. In general, the signs and symptoms that may accompany gum recession can be summarized as follows:
- Bleeding in the gums while flossing or brushing,
- bad breath,
- Change in the position of the teeth or tooth loss,
- Increased gum recession,
- Red, sensitive and edematous gums,
- Plaque development on the tooth,
- Feeling pain with chewing,
- Bad taste in mouth.
Symptoms in the early stages of gum recession may not be easily noticed. The role of dentists and regular examinations is very important in recognizing this condition at an early stage.
What Causes Gum Recession?
Gum diseases generally occur due to inadequate oral hygiene. However, some underlying conditions may make people prone to gum recession. When all the factors come together, the naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth rapidly divide, causing damage to teeth and connective tissue. A chronic (long-term) inflammatory response occurs in the body after bacterial accumulation and the resulting plaques secrete toxic chemicals. During this struggle, damage occurs to the gums caught in the crossfire. In addition to causing bone loss, it causes bone distance to decrease, recession and deepening of gaps.
Along with gum recession and deepening of the spaces called gingival sulcus, bacteria and food residues accumulating in this area may cause the current situation to become more severe. People are generally unaware of this damage that occurs during the progression of gum recession. Care should be taken as gingival recession, which begins with mild complaints, can turn into a very important health problem over time. Apart from the formation mechanism of gingival recession, it is also useful to know which conditions increase the susceptibility to this condition. Harmful habits such as tobacco use are the leading risk factors for gum recession, and other factors can be summarized as follows:
- Type 2 diabetes,
- Obesity,
- Hormonal changes that occur in various situations in women,
- Diseases that negatively affect the immune system, such as HIV and leukemia,
- Use of drugs that reduce saliva secretion in the mouth,
- genetic factors,
- Unbalanced diet and not getting enough vitamin C.
Tobacco use is also an important risk factor in determining the effect of treatment. The majority of cases that do not respond to treatment are smokers.
How is Gingival Recession Treated?
Gum treatment aims to clean the plaque and bacterial accumulation. Therefore, the first step to be taken in this context is to restore oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth with toothpaste twice a day, using dental floss at least once a day, gargling, having your teeth professionally cleaned by dentists twice a year, and not using tobacco are among the important practices of treating gum recession.
In some cases, the prescription of various antibiotic effective drugs may also be used within the scope of periodontitis treatment. The type of antibiotic used may be in tablet form or in the form of mouthwash or gel. Regular check-ups after treatment is another important issue that should not be overlooked.
What is Good for Gum Recession?
Various practices you can perform with the knowledge and advice of dentists can contribute to controlling gum recession. Brushing teeth after meals, using fluoride toothpaste and using therapeutically effective mouthwash are among these practices. Gingival recession is a disorder that has an insidious onset and tends to progress. If you observe the symptoms of this condition, it is recommended that you contact health institutions and get support from specialist dentists.
