Worried about receding gums? When should I get them checked?
Patient story: “My gum was receding – was I going to lose my tooth?”
When I first noticed that the gum around one of my lower front teeth looked very thin and seemed to be receding, I started to worry.
Was I brushing too hard? Did I have gum disease? Was it going to keep getting worse? Could my tooth become loose – or could I eventually lose it?
I was only in my 20s, which made it feel even more worrying. I didn’t really understand why it was happening or whether it was something I needed to do something about.
My dentist noticed that the gum around my lower front teeth was also inflamed and referred me to Dr Bruno Delaunay, Specialist Periodontist, at Perio & Implant Dental Referral Centre in Richmond.
Who should I see about receding gums?
If you’re worried about receding gums, your dentist or dental hygienist is a good place to start. They can assess your gum health, look for possible causes and monitor whether the recession is changing.
If the recession is progressing, the gum is particularly thin, or there are other factors affecting the health and stability of the area, your dentist may recommend seeing a periodontist.
A periodontist is a dentist with specialist training in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the gums and the supporting tissues around your teeth.
At Perio & Implant Dental Referral Centre in Richmond, Dr Bruno Delaunay is a Specialist Periodontist and regularly assesses patients with gum recession, including those who may benefit from gum grafting.
But importantly, seeing a periodontist doesn’t automatically mean you will need surgery.
The first thing I learned: receding gums don’t always mean tooth loss
This was probably the most reassuring part of my appointment.
Bruno explained that gum recession doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to lose a tooth – and it doesn’t always need treatment.
There are many reasons why gums can recede. Some people naturally have very thin gum tissue. Gum inflammation, gum disease, brushing habits, the position of a tooth and the way the surrounding tissues attach can also play a part.
Sometimes an area of recession can remain stable for years and simply needs to be kept healthy and monitored.
The important thing is finding out why your gum is receding and whether it is changing.
So when should I worry about receding gums?
What I learned is that it isn’t necessarily the amount of recession that determines whether there is a problem.
It’s worth getting your gums checked if:
- your gum appears to be receding or changing over time
- a tooth looks longer than it used to
- your gums are regularly red, swollen or bleeding
- the exposed area is sensitive or uncomfortable
- the gum around a tooth looks particularly thin or fragile
- the area is becoming difficult or uncomfortable to clean
- a tooth feels loose
- or you’re simply worried about a change you’ve noticed
Sometimes you’ll be reassured that everything is healthy and the area simply needs monitoring.
Other times, several factors may be happening together and your dentist or periodontist may recommend treatment.
In my case, it wasn’t just the recession
When Bruno examined me, he found several things happening at the same time.
My gum was naturally very thin, there was already recession around one tooth and the small fold of tissue connecting my lip to my gum – called the frenum – was attached quite high and pulling close to the area.
There was also very little depth between my lip and gum, as well as plaque and inflammation.
Bruno explained that each of these things on its own wouldn’t necessarily mean I needed surgery.
It was the combination of factors that was important.
It wasn’t simply about how my gum looked. It was about creating a healthy, maintainable area of gum around my teeth for the future.
We didn’t go straight to surgery
This was another thing I really appreciated.
There was no panic and I wasn’t told I immediately needed an operation.
The first step was much simpler: getting my gums healthier.
I had quite a lot of plaque and inflammation, so I was shown how to clean the area more effectively. We needed to improve the inflammation first before deciding whether anything else was necessary.
Once my gums were healthier, Bruno could assess what remained.
For me, the combination of the thin gum, existing recession and the surrounding tissues pulling close to the areameant that he recommended a gum graft.
What is a gum graft – and does everyone with recession need one?
No. Having receding gums doesn’t automatically mean you need a gum graft.
A gum graft may be considered in certain situations where a specialist feels that increasing or improving the gum tissue around a tooth would be beneficial.
In my case, Bruno used a small piece of gum tissue to create a stronger band of gum around my lower front teeth. He also released the tight frenum that was pulling close to the area.
The aim wasn’t simply to make the recession disappear or improve its appearance.
It was to create a healthier, stronger area of gum that would be easier for me to look after and maintain in the future.
There was no rush – we chose the right time
I was a student living away from London and I exercised a lot, so Bruno also talked to me about something I hadn’t considered: when to have the treatment.
He didn’t make me feel that it had to be done immediately.
Instead, we planned my gum graft for the summer university holiday, when I could go home, take things easy and temporarily stop strenuous exercise.
That gave me around 2–3 weeks when I could properly rest and look after the area while it healed.
It made the whole experience feel planned around me.
One year later
At my six-week appointment, everything was healing well.
When I returned one year later, the graft was still stable and there was a much stronger band of gum around my lower front teeth.
But probably the biggest difference was that I wasn’t frightened by my receding gum anymore.
I understood why it had happened, what we were trying to achieve and how I could look after the area in the future.
I’m incredibly grateful to Bruno and the team. What I appreciated most was that I never felt pushed into treatment I didn’t need.
We got my gums healthy first, looked at all the factors involved and then made a decision about what would be best for the future.
Worried about your receding gums?
Don’t panic – but don’t ignore a change either.
Receding gums don’t automatically mean gum disease, surgery or losing a tooth. Sometimes all that’s required is better plaque control, advice and monitoring.
But if you’ve noticed your gums changing, or you’re worried about what you’re seeing, speak to your dentist or hygienist. If appropriate, they can refer you to a periodontist for a specialist assessment.
At Perio & Implant Dental Referral Centre in Richmond, our specialist periodontal team assesses and treats gum recession and can help you understand why it is happening, whether you need treatment and what your options are.
Sometimes, simply knowing what’s happening and what you need to do next can take away much of the worry.
