Armed with a little knowledge, you can teach your children how to avoid some nasty inconveniences in life such as gum disease and receding gums! Read on to gain valuable insight.
Gum recession defined- Before we can get to why gums recede it is important to establish what recession actually is.
Gum recession refers to retraction or separation of gum tissue from alveolar bone and teeth.
What causes gums to recede?- Pressure on teeth and gums is a major cause of gum recession.
Aggressive brushing by hard bristle brushes, imbalanced jaws as well as spicy and hot foods may all potentially lead to retraction.
Bacteria produced by plaque on teeth and underneath the gum line has been identified as the number one culprit destroying gum tissue and in turn leading to gum recession.
Other possible causes - Nutritional deficiencies including a lack of Vitamin C is also a potential cause of the problem, thus daily, nutritional supplements, are highly recommended.
Signs and symptoms- In the initial phase of the recession, signs and symptoms may not be clearly visible.
However there are a couple of very clear indications that a serious underlying problem may be brewing including bad breath, loose teeth, pain or discomfort, tenderness and bleeding gums What are the available treatment options?- Unfortunately, there is no ultimate cure for receding gums except surgery which may be very intrusive not to mention painful and not recommended for all patients due to the fact that the problem may not justify surgery.
Prevention is always the best cure, so easily achieved by just practicing high standards of oral hygiene every day which includes 6 monthly dental check up's, brushing and flossing teeth as prescribed by your physician or dentist.
Your brushing techniques should also get your doctors' approval.
Next: Learn what you can do from home to help stop the progression of gum disease and prevent it from returning or visiting in the first place.
Follow the links below to read more.