Reversing Gum Recession

Gum recession is a condition where the gums begin to pull back and expose the teeth roots. This can lead to sensitivities of teeth to hot and cold beverages or seasonal changes. It also affects your smile as your teeth look horrible as your gums get worst. Gum recession typically occurs in adults in their forties but has also been known to develop in teenagers and older.

Gum recession is typically brought on by poor diet, disease and/or poor oral hygiene. What tends to happen is that many children and adults brush too hard with hard bristled brushes and neglect flossing altogether. Taking care of your oral habits can greatly help in stopping gums from receding.

First, talk to your dentist about your gums and teeth. They will be able to tell you whether your gums are receding or not. If they are, they will be able to tell you where to go next. They may suggest a periodontist that can give you more in-depth information on your gum recession. From there, take action as to how to fight gum recession.

What you’ll want to do next is monitor how hard you brush your teeth. Many individuals brush vigorously and hard in order to get brushing out of the way. Also, many of us use hard bristled bushes and this can add to the trauma happening to your gums. Look for a soft bristle tooth brush and take more time with your teeth. Brushing harder will not make your teeth whiter and will harm your gum line.

Also while you are getting a new tooth brush, invest in some floss. Floss is one of the most irritating tools to use, that’s why many choose not to. There is a relatively new product that eliminates the long stringy floss that most of us think of. They are dental floss picks that have a piece of floss strung on for easy flossing. It’s a lot easier using these than traditional floss. Mouth wash is also a good idea; however it will not replace flossing.

There are also vitamins and supplements that can help in healing the gums. They may never grow back to the gum line (there are varying opinions on this thought), but taking these and monitoring what you eat will at least stop the recession from continuing.

Calcium and Vitamin D make an awesome combo to fortify bones, including teeth. Vitamin D is a vitamin that helps the body absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D, the body begins to break down calcium in the bones, making them brittle. You don’t have to drink milk, just make sure you are getting your vitamin D either from the sun, supplements or D fortified foods. Also get your calcium for muscle tissue and bones.

High potency enzymes help break down all your foods so that they can support the healing process. Unfortunately, because a lot of the natural enzymes are cooked away when we prepare our meals, our bodies are starved for enzymes to break down the food. Enzymes help us get the best out of our food by breaking them down into fats, proteins, sugars and fiber in order to absorb nutrients better.

Antioxidants are also powerful molecules that will maintain healthy cells. As molecules oxidize, they can create free radicals that can cause chemical reactions that can harm cells. Coenzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant that helps keep oxidation from happening and also has beneficial effects to the heart and gums.

Whole Food supplements are a great source of essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, complex sugars and essential amino acids. All of these help maintain the body as well as promote teeth and gum health. A good supplement to try is blue green algae.

Though gum recession isn’t fatal it can be a hard problem to deal with and also a little embarrassing. As long as it is caught early and treated accordingly, you can stop the recession from going too far. But there are also other treatments available if you can afford it. Through surgery, grafts of gums can be placed to cover up gum recession and hopefully give uneducated people a second chance to take care of their teeth.