While everyone knows that they need to have healthy teeth, not everyone is as clear on why it is important to have healthy gums. Of course, those who have suffered from the inconveniences as well as all-out problems caused by receding gums definitely know better. After all, receding gums can alter the appearance of your teeth negatively, make you more likely to get painful cavities, and make it uncomfortable eat and drink, due to the exposed roots of your teeth that can result from the condition over time. It makes perfect sense, then, that those who have dealt with receding gums would be interested in knowing the best treatments for the problem.
At least part of the treatment will be based directly on the causes that contributed to the problem in the first place. For hyper aggressive brushers that caused gum damage with their overzealous technique, a softer brush and/or brushing style will be necessary. If you have a bite that is not aligned well, you may need to have a bite adjustment to keep from making the problem worse. If you were contributing to the problem by using chewing tobacco or not taking proper care of your mouth, you will want to correct those behaviors, as well.
Of course, you will often not be able to reverse all of the accumulated damage simply by stopping damaging behaviors. You will mostly be able to cease any further damage by doing so, actually. You will still want to reverse the damage that already did occur, which is where other treatments come in. For instance, there are periodontal surgeries, such as gingival grafting, that can be utilized.
Gingival grafting involves grafting extra tissue from the roof of the mouth to use to extend the gums to where they should be, or where they were before your gums began receding. This procedure obviously must be done by a specialist, but is fairly common and just requires a couple of weeks of healing, in most cases.
A similar procedure can also be done with donated human skin allograft, which can be used instead of the patient's own tissue. Furthermore, you may be able to have a procedure done where the existing gum tissue is simply repositioned to help cover the recession, which would mean you would not require any kind of grafting. All of these procedures are very effective and will provide a long-term change that takes your gums back to the way that they should be, preventing you from any of the complications that can arise from receding gums.
Receding gums are not to be taken lightly, and must be treated in the proper way if you want to have a healthy mouth with gums that suitably protect and support your teeth. Many organizations, such as the American Academy of Periodontology, are concerned with the prevalence of receding gums among those over 40, as well as teens, who are more and more likely to have the problem occur. To take steps to correct any problems you may have had, follow some of these treatment ideas.
