Can Gum Recession Treatment Fix Receding Gums?

Recession means the gum edge has moved down the tooth and exposed part of the root. Once that tissue is lost, the body does not replace it. Gums can firm up and look healthier when inflammation settles, but the edge does not climb back to where it was.

That is why the useful question is not how to regrow gums but what is causing the recession and whether it is still moving. Toothpastes, oils and herbal pastes advertised as regrowing gums have no reliable evidence behind them.

Hard brushing is the commonest cause in people with otherwise healthy gums. A stiff brush used with a sawing motion wears the gum margin back over years, usually most on the side of the dominant hand. The fix is a soft brush, light pressure and small circular movements, and it stops further loss.

Gum disease is the other major cause. When bone is lost, the gum follows it down. This type of recession needs the underlying disease treated, which starts with the steps on our gum treatment page. Grafting over an active infection does not hold.

Other contributors include thin gum that was naturally fragile, teeth that sit forward in the jaw, a bite that loads one tooth too hard, and tobacco. A dentist looks for these because each one changes the plan.

For mild recession with no symptoms, the treatment is often to change the cause and watch it. Measurements are recorded at the visit so that the next review can show whether it has moved.

For sensitivity, desensitising toothpaste and fluoride applied to the exposed root help. They reduce the symptom; they do not cover the root.

For root exposed and decay starting on it, the root surface may need a filling. Our guide to scaling and root planing covers the cleaning step when disease is involved.

Treatment cannot restore bone lost to gum disease, and it cannot promise a particular amount of coverage.

A gum graft is a small surgical procedure in which tissue, usually taken from the roof of the mouth or from nearby gum, is placed over the exposed root and stitched in place. It is done under local anaesthetic. The aim is to cover the root, thicken thin gum, and reduce further recession.

Grafting is generally considered when recession is progressing, when the gum is too thin to protect the root, when sensitivity does not settle with simpler measures, or when appearance is a concern. It works best when the cause has already been dealt with and the patient is not smoking.

Whether grafting is the right next step depends on the cause and how far the recession has gone. Call the clinic with questions about your own case.

Brush gently with a soft brush, and do not stop cleaning along the gum line out of fear. Clean between the teeth daily so that plaque does not add inflammation to the problem.

Stop smoking or chewing tobacco if you use either. Mention any clenching or grinding, since a heavy bite on a thin-gummed tooth can speed recession.

Have the gum margin measured at your regular visits. Slow recession is easy to miss in the mirror and easy to see on a chart. If you are unsure whether your gums are healthy to begin with, read the stages of gum disease.