Gum recession

Definition

Gum recession is a process in which the gums slowly retract and parts of the tooth root become visible. This is a complex process in which various causes play a role. In addition to the widespread disease “periodontitis“, often referred to as “parodontosis”, an incorrect brushing technique or a disease of the body can also contribute to gum recession. Due to the exposed tooth root surface, sensitivities to thermal stimuli occur on the affected teeth. Cold water or a draft of air begin to cause pain.

What causes gum recession?

Gum recession is a multifactorial disease. It can be caused by an inflammation, but it can also be triggered completely free of inflammation by a wrong application of force to the tooth. Inflammation-related means that periodontitis exists.

This triggers a constant inflammation of the gums and an associated bone loss, which in the course of the disease also leads to a decline in the gums. The reason for this is that the gums follow the degradation of the bone. This makes the root of the tooth visible and the tooth often becomes very sensitive to pain.

Gum recession due to incorrect brushing technique can in principle be caused by an electric toothbrush as well as by a manual toothbrush. However, many electric toothbrushes have the advantage that they have an integrated brushing pressure control and indicate when brushing too much. They then light up red on the brush head and signal that the cleaning pressure should be reduced.

This prevents permanent damage. If this rule is followed, the electric toothbrush is much gentler than the manual toothbrush, which has no control mechanism whatsoever. Grinding means that the rows of teeth are often pressed against each other at night or during stressful phases, while the teeth additionally rub against each other.

Individual teeth are overloaded by the strong clenching by being pressed into the bone. The periodontium reacts to the load and begins to rebuild the tissue, with the gums receding without an inflammatory reaction. The tooth is damaged, begins to wobble and the gums recede.

With a splint and physiotherapy this cycle can be broken and the gum regression can be stopped. The body absorbs stress with various compensatory reactions. In addition to the emission of stress hormones, many people start grinding their teeth in their sleep.

As already mentioned, the grinding can lead to overstrain and gum recession. However, the fact that the immune system is shut down during long periods of stress and the body is much more susceptible to inflammation and other illnesses also supports the decline. Therefore, the body should be strengthened with vitamins during this time and, if necessary, a crunch splint should be made.

You are stressed?especially in adulthood many people nowadays resort to braces to get a bright smile. The older you get, the lower the regenerative capacity of the tissues. Therefore, with orthodontic therapy, the risk of permanent gum recession increases from the age of 30.

To move the teeth, forces in the right direction are necessary. To a certain degree, the tooth and surrounding tissue can withstand these forces. In addition, however, if the tooth is moved too much too quickly, the surrounding tissue may be damaged and the gums cannot cope with the movement.

It slowly recedes. At this point a smaller force should be applied to the teeth to prevent the damage from getting worse. Smoking can also cause the gums to recede.

The inhaled cigarette smoke leads to various tissue remodelling processes in the oral mucosa and continues to settle on the teeth. Tissue remodeling means that a kind of “horny layer” forms on the oral mucosa, which is less sensitive to the daily hazardous substances contained in the smoke. However, this layer is less supplied with blood and therefore more susceptible to pathogens.

Furthermore, the only partially burnt substances in cigar smoke cause oxidative stress for the cells, so that the defense cells are impaired. As a result, periodontitis spreads much faster than in non-smokers and leads to permanent damage and gum recession. This could also be interesting for you:

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After a periodontitis treatment, it can happen that the gums subsequently retract.

This is a physiological process. The cause is that the gums were already inflamed before the treatment and therefore heavily swollen. By removing the tartar and the bacteria underneath the gums, the inflammation disappears. The gums swell again and therefore recede slightly.