Gum recession during pregnancy
During pregnancy the risk of developing gingivitis is increased, especially in the first three months of pregnancy. This is a special form of gingivitis, which often disappears after pregnancy. One reason for this is that the body is in an exceptional hormonal situation and the high estrogen level leads to heavy bleeding of the gums with gingivitis.
On the other hand, all trace elements needed for healing are needed for the development of the child and thus promote healing. In contrast to the other causes of gum recession, gum recession during pregnancy can be reversible if no bone loss has occurred. Treatment is similar to that for non-pregnant women: Professional tooth cleaning and pocket cleaning are the main focus, but without further medical treatment.
Diagnosis of gingival recession
The diagnosis of gingival recession is usually made by the family dentist during the routine check-up, which should be done about twice a year. This is a pure visual diagnosis, in which the dentist often uses a cold spray on the exposed root surface to test whether the exposed root is sensitive or not. If the cold hurts, it is an exposed, sensitive neck of the tooth, which requires further treatment to prevent chronic irritation of the tooth. If it does not hurt, it only needs to be clarified if the recession becomes worse. Whether the receding gums are progressing can be tested by means of a measuring probe, which is also used to measure the gum pockets.
Duration
With periodontitis, no cure is possible per se, since the disease-causing bacteria remain in the oral cavity for a lifetime. However, with proper oral hygiene, it is possible to ensure that the inflammation is reduced to such an extent that it no longer causes any acute symptoms and that bone and soft tissue resorption is stopped. To achieve this state, the affected pockets must be cleaned and rinsed with a disinfectant solution for several weeks.
After about three months a stable condition should be reached. Afterwards, professional tooth cleaning every three months is necessary to keep the disease in check. A non-inflammatory gum recession can be stopped if the causative stimulus is eliminated.
This means changing the wrong brushing technique or removing the pressure of the braces by the orthodontist. Afterwards the receding gums stop by themselves.
