Looking after your gums is essential to a healthy set of teeth – but what if they have already started to recede? When patients come to our specialist dental practice in London’s Harley Street, concerned about receding gums, their first question is usually ‘why is this happening?’ and then ‘how do I stop it?’
What are the causes of receding gums?
One of the culprits of gum recession is poor dental hygiene. There may be other reasons, however, such as a genetic predisposition, crooked teeth or a misaligned bite, trauma to the gum tissue, hormonal changes or teeth grinding.
Whatever the cause, the action of recession exposes more of the tooth – or even its root – making it vulnerable to the build up of disease-causing bacteria. It is not just the tooth that is then at risk: if left untreated, gum disease can damage the supporting tissue and bone structures. Tooth loss is a possible consequence.
So how will my receding gums be treated?
For mild cases of recession, treatment may consist of deep cleaning to remove the plaque and tartar and antibiotics may be required. For more severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to reduce the pocket depth, regenerate lost bone or even to perform a soft tissue graft.
At our London practice, the first step will be an initial consultation with our experienced periodontist. By carrying out a thorough physical examination, he will evaluate the severity of your receding gums and, after discussion with you, will tailor a treatment plan to your individual needs.
In some cases, you will benefit from a consultation with other dental experts such as a prosthodontist or hygienist. At specialist dental practice 76 Harley Street we bring together a team of experts under one roof which enables us to offer a comprehensive, multi-discipline approach to achieving the best oral health outcomes for our patients.
