Some of you may have noticed that the gaps between your teeth and gum line are extending. This is what happens when experience gum recession. Receding gums occurs when the gum tissue wear away and the gums seem to recede backwards, enlarging the area of the tooth surface and making it more visible and obvious. As a result, it’s easier for bacteria to build up and lurk. As oppose to what most people may think, this should not be normal. It can be solved, or otherwise, even the root of your teeth maybe exposed, causing a terrible toothache. And we all know how miserable it can get when we suffer from toothache. But that doesn’t even stop there. If this is not contained, you may eventually lose teeth due to the damage caused to support tissue and bone structure of your teeth.
Symptoms:
Receding gums is a general dental problem that can be easily missed. It doesn’t happen rapidly, so you wouldn’t actually notice it. The process is slow and gradual. One of the early symptoms is tooth sensitivity. If you don’t see any other reasons such as tooth decay, you should check whether you are suffering from gum recession. Also, when it seems like your teeth appear larger than they used to, you can right away consider this as gum recession. You can also experience tooth ache.
Causes:
Receding gums is usually an indication of a gum disease. Nonetheless, there are plenty of other causes of this problem. Some of them are:
1.Gum diseases
Receding gum is generally caused by gum diseases, periodontal diseases, inparticular. When you have a periodontal disease, it means that your gums suffer from bacterial infections. This ultimately leads to damaged gum tissue and bone structure.
2.Poor oral hygiene
Needless to say, poor oral hygiene leads to many dental diseases, gum recession being one of them. If you do not brush regularly and skip flossing, plague will build up around your teeth and becomes tartar. Tartar is the hard substance between your teeth that can also cause your gums to recede.
3.Aggressive brushing of the teeth
Proper and careful brushing of the teeth does not equate to aggressively brushing it. When you brush your teeth too harshly, the enamel present on your teeth will wear away, and this can increase the risk of gum recession.
4. Smoking
We all know that smoking can lead to serious health problems like cancer and other lung diseases, but we underestimate the likelihood of this happening to us. Smokers would usually reason out that if it’s their time to go,it’s their time. However, smokers can also suffer from general diseases like receding gums as they are more prone to produce sticky plague on their teeth that leads to gum recession.
5. Grinding and clenching of teeth
When too much pressure is forced into the teeth, the gums may also recede. This usually happens when your teeth are crooked and they don’t come evenly when taking bites.
6. Piercing
When your lips or tongue is pierced, the jewelry gets rubbed against the gum, causing the gum tissue to wear away.
7. Hormonal changes
This especially happens to women. When you experience changes in hormones, the tendency is that the gums become more sensitive and at risk.
8. Heredity
Your genes may also play a role in receding gums. If this is the case, you can do very little to stop it.
Medical Treatment:
Once you have observed that your gums are receding, you can immediately consult a dentist. Your dentist may perform deep cleaning processes such as tooth scaling and root planting. This involves getting rid of plague and tartar that accumulated on your teeth and root. If it’s in advanced stage, you may undergo gum surgeries such as pocket depth reduction, regeneration of lost bone and tissue of teeth and gums, and soft tissue graft.
However, if you have simply noticed early signs of gum recession, and you are not suffering from worse symptoms just yet such as an infection, you can go for home remedies first. These natural home remedies can actually help you grow back receding gums.
How Receding Gums Grow Back:
Gums are soft tissues covering the bones and roots that support the teeth, which is essential in keeping your teeth in place and intact. Due to different factors, the gums tend to recede, exposing your teeth and roots. Aside from proper dental hygiene and diet, there are home remedies that can help your gums to grow back,as discussed below.
Natural Home Remedies:
We’ve listed some home remedies to treat gum recession. You will only need simple ingredients from your own kitchen, plus some herbs and spices that are not very hard to find in the supermarkets.
Here are key ingredients that you can use and how you can use them.
1.Green Tea
It’s long been established how green tea can be good for your body as well as your skin. But the benefits of green tea extends to your teeth and mouth. The antioxidants contained in green tea can fight free radicals even in your mouth. It even has catechins, which helps strengthen the bond between your gums and teeth.It also has anti-inflammatory properties that will prevent your gums from swelling and speed up the healing of your gums and other oral diseases.
How: Have a cup of green tea daily, preferably in the morning.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is also popular in treating several skin problems because of its anti-inflammatory properties coupled with its cell restoring capabilities, which also benefit the gums. Aside from reducing the inflammation of the gums, aloe vera can also aid in repairing important tissues. Aloe vera is also found in some toothpaste because of its anti-bacterial properties to avoid infection.
How:Use an aloe vera gel for brushing and as a mouthwash. After brushing, put an aloe vera gel on your toothbrush and brush your teeth and gums again. Do not substitute your toothpaste, but treat it as a supplement. After 3 to 5 minutes, wash your mouth properly. You can also use the gel as a mouthwash. After brushing in the morning, mix the aloe vera gel with some water to get a consistency that will help you gargle in all areas of your moth.
3. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is an effective remedy for receding gums asitis a good germicide. In other words,it will help kill all the germs in your mouth to prevent oral diseases that may lead to gum recession. It may also stimulate the growth of new gum tissue. Like the aloe vera herb, eucalyptus also has anti-inflammatory properties. For this remedy, you will need a eucalyptus essential oil. Essential oils can keep the herb and its nutrients in their natural form.In fact, it can even be more potent than the actual herbs, so a couple of drops can already make a difference. Nonetheless, it’s not advisable to apply it undiluted, as it maybe too strong to be handled by your delicate gums.
How:Add 1 to 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil with 1 to 2 tbspofwater,andcarefully mix together. Dip your toothbrush in this diluted oil and massage your gums gently for a few minutes. Your gums are sensitive, so make sure that you are using a toothbrush with soft bristles. Otherwise, it’s much better to simply use your fingers. After, rinse off with water carefully.
4. Myrrh
Traditionally, myrrh has been used for treatment of many oral diseases including gum diseases. The substance from its tree can help prevent further damageto your gums.
How: Crush the resin until itbecomespowderorif you can find a powdered one already, that would be much better. Mix it with water until the consistency is similar to that of a paste. Massage your gums either with a gentle toothbrush or using your fingers with this pastefor a few minutes.
5.Sesame Oil
You can use sesame oil foroil pulling, which is considered as one of the most effective traditional dental and oral treatments.In Ayurveda medicine, oil pulling isalso an effective wayto easily absorb nutrients in your body. When it comes to oral treatment, it has been known to cure cavities, but it can also help prevent and treat receding gums. Sesame oil contains properties that help get rid of toxic elements. Italso helps prevent plague buildup, asit can provide a protective coating over your teeth.
How: Warm the sesame oil, but be careful not to make it very hot. After brushing, swirl the sesame oil all over your mouth. Keep doing this for several minutes. If you’re new to oil pulling, you can begin with a minute, and tryto keep increasing the time overtime until you can pull oil for about 15 to 20 minutes. Yes, that’s a lot oftime, but it’s better than not doing anything and making your condition worse, and soon enough, you’ll find yourself in a dental clinic. Notto mention, that may cost a lot.
6. Coconut Oil
Oil pulling can also done with coconut oil. Coconut oil has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that help fight infections that is causing tooth decay, cavity, and yes, even gum problems like recession. Itis recommended that you use virgin coconut oil for this process.
How:After brushing, use coconut oil as mouthwash. You can just follow the instructions of oil pulling with sesame oil.
7. Clove Oil
Clove oil is essential in traditional medicine for toothache and other oral diseases due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and disinfectant properties. This is a good treatment for receding gums as it will keep your mouth germ-free and helps reduce swelling. You may chew a clove after meals to treat any diseases. Make sure that its contents or the oil extends to all areas of your mouth. It can also help get rid of bad breath. Alternatively, especially for this home remedy, you may use clove oil. However, if you are under any blood clotting medication, you may need to consult with your doctor first regarding the use of clove oil.
8. Lemon Oil
Lemon has antibacterial and antiseptic properties that will help get rid of bacteria. It also helps stimulates growth of new gum tissue and aids in growing back receding gums. In addition, its refreshing scent is good to keep your mouth smelling fresh.However, since it is acidic in nature, frequent use may cause damage to the enamel of your teeth. Unlike other home remedies on this list,it’s not advisable that you use lemon oil on a daily basis. You can use it once a week only, and it’s best that you make your own lemon oil to make sure that there are no added ingredients that may damage your tooth enamel.
How:In a jar, squeeze one fresh lemon juice into a 1/4to1/2 cup of olive oil. Shake it well and put itin a shade for infusion. Shake it every day for 3 to 4 weeks before use. Once a week, you can put this mixture of lemon oil to your toothbrush or finger and massage it over your gums gently for a few minutes.
Gum Recession Prevention:
More and more cases of receding gums are occurring, and no one is spared from this. So it’s better to start caring for your oral health, because prevention is always better than cure (and less expensive too!). Here are some ways to prevent gum recession and care for your oral health.
1. Maintain proper oral hygiene Prevent not only gum diseases but also other oral diseases with proper oral hygiene. This has been taught to us since we were little, but for some reasons, such as laziness, we just can’t do it properly. Since we find it so difficult to follow the do’s, it might be better if we review the don’ts. Shall we?
•Don’t use a large toothbrush with hard bristles.•Don’t brush your teeth harshly and aggressively.
•Don’t brush your teeth with different strokes, directions, and motions. Follow circular motion.
•Don’t push your gums upwards when brushing your teeth. Follow along your gum lines.
•Don’t forget to floss every after meal.
2.Use mouthwash Some people think that using a mouthwash is only an alternative to brushing, but it’s recommended that you also clean your mouth with a mouthwash every day to keep the germs away. Preferably, do it after every meal. This is done on top of brushing your teeth, take note.
Mouthwash is everywhere, but natural is always better, and you can make your own natural mouthwash with the use of some essential oils.
•Add 1 to 2 drops of essential oil and mix it with 1/4to 1/2 cup of water.Some popular essential oils for mouthwash are peppermint, tea tree, sage, and clove. Now gargle with this natural mouthwash for at least a minute
.•You may also use hydrogen peroxide to keep your mouth from infection, but make sure that you combine it with water before gargling.
3.Eat healthy and avoid junk
Healthy eating is a must to improve overall health and boost immunity. We all know that. On the other hand, when we eat junk food, the risk of getting bacteria increases. We are nurturing microbes and encouraging them to grow inside the mouth, leading to infection and eventually, gum problems.
•Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially those that are rich in Vitamin C.Vitamin C keeps your gums healthy, reduces inflammation, prevents oral diseases, and aids in gum tissue growth. Include the following in your shopping list next time: pineapples, oranges, strawberries, cauliflower, asparagus, and broccoli, to start with.
•As much as possible, avoid processed food and food from white flour. Also, stray away from too much caffeine and alcohol.•Don’t eat so much food that are high in sugar, and avoid cold beverages, as they will promote the growth of bacteria.
4. Drink plenty of water Keeping yourself hydrated is good for your overall health, including that of your gums. Drinking lots of water wash down the toxins out of your body as well as your mouth. This prevents your mouth from getting infection. Furthermore, it also cleanse your mouth. It’s best to brush your teeth and use mouthwash every after meal, but if sometimes you are unable to do this, drinking water will help unstuck food particles in your mouth and teeth. Swirl some water in your mouth if you can’t rinse. It’s also okay to just drink this as it’s not actually dirty, especially when you don’t have an access to a powder room.
5. Consult your doctor
Receding gums may also be caused by other health factors other than infection inyour mouth. Itis possible that you lack many vital nutrients causing your unhealthy gums. Ask your doctor about this, and hemay perform a couple ofteststo know forsure whether there are insufficient vitamins or other essential nutrients in your body.Someof the nutrients and supplements that may help you with this gum problem are the following:
•Calcium, which we all know is essential forboneas well as dental health•Vitamin C improves immunity and protect you from infection and has anti-inflammatory properties
•Zinc also boosts your immunity•Gingko biloba enhances blood circulation that helps promote healthy gums
•Coenzyme Q10 supports cell renewal and thus helps in the growth of new gum tissues
