Periodontal diseases. These are bacterial gum infections that destroy gum tissue and supporting bone that hold your teeth in place. Gum disease is the main cause of gum recession.
What Does It Mean for Your Oral Health? For the most part, gum recession means that you are more susceptible to oral health issues. When your gum line recedes, this creates pockets between your teeth and the gums. These pockets are like little homes for bacteria to build up in.
In fact, gum disease has been linked to health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and premature births or low-birth weight babies. The good news? With daily brushing and flossing, and regular check-ups, most people can prevent gum disease.
Receding gums are an oral health concern when they get to the point where tooth roots are exposed. It leads to a higher risk of decay, infection, and loss. Therefore, if you suspect your gums are receding, or a dental professional has brought it up to you, it's time to seek treatment.
It can cause severe gum recession and an increased likeliness of periodontal disease. Long-term stress is proven to weaken the immune system. This lowers your body's ability to fight infections. As a result, you have an increased risk of several dental issues, like bleeding and inflamed gums.
Receding gums are a form gum disease in which your gums pull back from the tooth surface, exposing the root surfaces of your teeth. This can be a serious condition as a consequence of poor oral hygiene, which may eventually lead to tooth loss.
Cancers Linked to Gum Disease
Unfortunately, many cancers have been specifically linked to gum disease. The first one seems more obvious as it is oral cancer. Mouth cancer has long been known to be linked to severe gum disease. Lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancers may come as a shock.
Gum disease (periodontitis) is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the blood stream, which can affect the heart valves. Oral health may be particularly important if you have artificial heart valves.
People with gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) have two to three times the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular event. But there may not be a direct connection. Many people with heart disease have healthy gums, and not everyone with gum disease develops heart problems.
Gingivitis and Gum Disease
Inflammation in the gums is linked to several different autoimmune disorders, including lupus, Crohn's disease, and scleroderma, among others. Gingivitis is a condition in which gums are inflamed and red; it's a precursor to gum disease.
Periodontal diseases are characterized by localized infections and inflammatory conditions that directly affect teeth supporting structures which are the major cause of tooth loss. Several studies have demonstrated the involvement of autoimmune responses in periodontal disease.
Gum recession is when your gum tissue pulls away from your teeth, exposing the roots underneath. It's caused by a number of factors, including aggressive brushing, smoking and even genetics. Treatments include antibiotics, antimicrobial mouth rinses and surgery.
Good Oral Hygiene Habits
One of the most important things you can do to avoid further gum recession is to brush and floss your teeth twice daily. If your gums have receded due to aggressive brushing, be mindful of the force you are applying while brushing and use a soft-bristled toothbrush.
In some cases, it may be too late for gum grafting to save the gums. If your gums are severely damaged, receding so far back that they expose the tooth's root, or if there is significant bone loss from advanced gum disease, gum grafting may not be able to restore them to their healthy state.
You can have a perfectly healthy mouth – no infection, no periodontal (gum) disease and no active tooth decay – and you can be very conscientious about practicing good oral hygiene, but you may still experience gum recession.
Conditions Your Dentist Can Help Identify
Here are some other conditions identifiable by your oral health: Heart Disease. Studies show that gum disease and inflammation of the gums are associated with a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke.
Gum disease link, also called periodontal gum disease, is the most common and serious mouth problem related to diabetes. Untreated, the disease advances in stages, from inflamed gums to tooth loss. High levels of blood glucose increase the risk that gum disease will progress from mild to severe.
Causes. Bacteria in the mouth infect tissue surrounding the tooth, causing inflammation around the tooth leading to periodontal disease. When bacteria stay on the teeth long enough, they form a film called plaque, which eventually hardens to tartar, also called calculus.
Gum disease can end up in significantly severe cases that seriously damage your heart and shorten your life. It may sound like an exaggeration, but bacterial gum disease like gingivitis leads to periodontitis. Periodontitis, on the other hand, can lead to life-threatening endocarditis.
patches of rough, white, or red tissue. a hard, painless lump near the back teeth or in the cheek. a bumpy spot near the front teeth. growths of tissue on the roof of the mouth.
Receding Gums Increases with Age
The study found that from age 30-39, about 38% of individuals had receding gums. This increased to 71% for people aged 50-59, and was more than 90% for people age 80-89. Initially, women had much lower rates of receding gums, but by age 40, the rates become about the same.
To fix receding gums, we can use a procedure called a gum graft. This is a minor surgical procedure that involves taking healthy gum tissue from another part of the mouth and attaching it to where the gums have receded, providing extra tissue to build the gums back up.
How Far Can Gums Recede? Gums can recede to the extent at which the uppermost portion of the root becomes visible. Damage can also extend to the ligament and the bone, where it cannot be seen.