Dental health is a major concern for many people, and while you may know the steps to treating common issues, such as cavities, something like gum recession can be unknown and frightening. Receding gums are defined as gums that have pulled away from the tooth. This exposes the root of the tooth and creates minuscule spaces where plaque can collect. The plaque collection can, in turn, lead to more recession and eventually bone and tooth loss.

Until recently, research showed that while some types of tissue on the body regenerate — like your skin’s epithelial tissue — gum tissue did not. The only treatment option would be ways to conserve what gum tissue remained from the recession. Now, however, there’s been an encouraging discovery With proper care and maintenance, receding gums can regenerate.

While you may not be able to fully regenerate gums that you once had before, there are plenty of ways to treat, prevent further loss, and even heal receding gum tissue. By knowing the symptoms and signs of gum recession, you can start treatment early and get on the road to healthy gums.

Although it is impossible to completely reverse receding gums, knowing the causes and putting a stop to them is a crucial step to preventing your gums from receding further.

Even if you brush your teeth with the best toothbrush, have perfectly aligned teeth, and have never experienced trauma to the mouth, you can still experience receding gums because of age or genetics. As you get older, your gums grow weaker and become more susceptible to receding. In the case of genetics, you may have inherited the characteristic of gum recession from your parents as you inherit eye color or shoe size.

Another treatment option is to get deep cleaning treatments from your dentist, known as scaling and root planing. During this cleaning, the dentist cleans tartar and plaque from the surface and roots of your teeth. This procedure is especially helpful for those with receding gums who have just started to develop bacteria in the pockets gum recession forms and for those with periodontitis.

For severe gum recession, a procedure called gum grafting can restore lost gum tissue. During gum grafting, a periodontist will take gum tissue from another area of the mouth and graft it, or attach it, to the area with lost gum tissue. As the newly grafted area heals, it protects any exposed roots and gives your gums a more natural look.

While there are ways to treat gum recession, the best strategy is to keep it from starting at all. You can do this by first maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating a balanced diet and not smoking. The second step to the strategy is practicing excellent dental care. By regularly visiting the dentist and effectively brushing and flossing your teeth, you’ll have the best dental health you possibly can.