Why are my gums receding?

Question:

Why does [the gum push down away from my tooth]? It looks like there won’t be support to my tooth if it [keeps] on happening. Is there any solution for it?

Answer:

It sounds like what you’re describing is a severe case of gingival recession.  Severe recession usually results from gingivitis or periodontitis.  Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums around the tooth.  Periodontitis is similar to gingivitis, except it also includes loss of bone around the tooth and shrinkage of the gum tissues away from the tooth.

You want to try your best to preserve the tooth and its surrounding structures.  The gums (gingiva) usually shrink away from the teeth because bacteria have accumulated in areas around the tooth.  The bacteria cause our immune system to react in several ways to fight it off.  A combination of our immune system reactions and the harmful toxins released from the bacteria lead up to periodontitis (the gums shrinking away from the tooth).

The best way to treat this is to FLOSS EVERYDAY especially around this tooth and be sure to brush thoroughly all surfaces of your teeth.  If not, bacteria will continue to accumulate around your gumline and continue to add to your condition.

Is the tooth loose?  If so, you may need to visit your dentist for further evaluation.

Is there plaque or calculus around the tooth?  If yes, you will need a dental cleaning in order to effectively remove all of the bacteria from this area.

If the gum recession is severe, you can always visit your dentist for a periodontal graft to assist in replacing the tissue.

As a reminder, be sure to begin to take steps to treat this situation now.  If allowed to worsen, the tooth could eventually become loose and even fall out.  View our articles on Brushing and Flossing for more details on how to properly clean your teeth.

Good luck,

SaveMySmile Team

I have bad breath

Question:

I am suffering from bad breath for long time. Please give me suggestions.  Thank.

Answer:

Bad breath can come from many sources.  For starters, it comes from poor oral hygiene.  If you fail to brush after each meal and floss at least once a day, bacteria will begin to accumulate in your mouth, especially in those hard to reach areas.  This can include between the teeth or even on the back of the tongue.  Bacteria give off by-products that leave a stench.  Therefore the more bacteria you have in your mouth, the higher of a chance for bad breath.

Another reason could stem from your diet.  If you have a diet that’s low in carbohydrates, you are more likely to have bad breath.  Having a balanced diet that contains plenty of water is essential to great breath.

Some cures to bad breath include

• Occasionally chewing on sugar-free gum, that preferably contains Xylitol (see our article here), throughout the day
• Occasionally consuming sugar free mints throughout the day to stimulate salivary flow, thus cleansing the mouth of bacteria
• Maintaining good oral health (see our articles on Brushing and Flossing)
• Be sure to clean the tongue daily, with either a tongue scraper or the bristles of your toothbrush.

Hope these tips help out and good luck,

SaveMySmile Team

Because of trauma, my gum receded. Will it heal?

Question:

I got into a fight on New Years eve, and took a pretty good punch to the mouth. My gums were bruised, and the gum on my right front tooth receded so that part of the root is visible.

I am a smoker, so a few questions that have really been bothering me are:

Will it heal?
Will I require dental surgery?
Do I need to avoid smoking?
Will it get infected if I don’t take care of it?
What are the signs that the tooth is dying besides turning dark (which isnt happening….yet….)

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Answer:

Well there are a couple of things to take into consideration when looking at your scenario.  For starters, is the tooth mobile?  This plays a HUGE role as to whether the tooth will “heal” or not.  If mobile, the tooth may need to have a splint attached by the dentist to immobilize the tooth so that healing can begin to occur.

We will answer your questions under the assumption that the tooth is not mobile.

Will it heal?

Yes and no.  Yes in that the periodontal ligaments (the fibers that attach the tooth to the socket and bone) have undergone extensive trauma and will begin to reattach so that the tooth can function normally.  No, in that the gums that have receded will not grow back over the exposed root without assistance from the dentist.  What will actually happen is that the pdl fibers will reattach on the remaining gingiva (gums).

Will I require dental surgery?

Yes.  You will need something referred to as periodontal plastic surgery (believe us, sounds much more complicated that what it actually is).  The dentist uses a free gingival graft or connective tissue graft to cover the area.  This means that he/she will remove some gum tissue from one part of your mouth, and place it over the area of recession in order to stimulate growth.

Do I need to avoid smoking?

Yes is an understatement!!  Smoking severely compromises the amount of blood supply to your gums.  Insufficient blood supply=delayed healing!

Will it get infected if I don’t take care of it?

Let’s consider the anatomy of teeth when looking at this question.  Unlike the crown of the tooth, which is covered by enamel, the root of the tooth is covered by a substance called cementum.  The composition of cementum is a little different than enamel, as it was made to function below the gums, and not actually in the mouth like enamel.  This means just continue to practice good oral hygiene, which means brushing after each meal and flossing once a day.  Be sure not to let food or any other debris accumulate in this area.

What are the signs that the tooth is dying besides turning dark?

This varies.  Some signs can include sharp pain, increased sensitivity, a long, dull, continuous pain, sensitivity to hot, cold, or when chewing, or, as you mentioned, color change.  Also, a tooth can undergo the process of necrosis (dying) with no signs or indications.  A dentist can run several tests to determine whether the pulp is still vital.

We hope these answers helped you out.  In a situation like this, it’s pretty hard to tell exactly what’s going on without running some tests and taking a look clinically.  But hopefully these answers can guide you down the right path.  It’ll be best to go to the dentist and have an x-ray taken of the tooth and a couple of diagnostic tests performed to determine the status of the tooth.  Don’t wait too long to visit the dentist, especially if the tooth is mobile.

Hope this helps and good luck!!

Does flossing reduce bad breath?

Question:

Does flossing reduce bad breath?

Answer:

Yes it definitely plays a role in reducing bad breath.  Bad breath can be caused by a number of factors.  Some of these factors include decay in a tooth, bacteria or food debris trapped under the gum line or between teeth, plaque or calculus (tartar) accumulations, bacteria located on the tongue, bad oral hygiene habits, etc.  Flossing definitely needs to be incorporated into a daily routine, in addition to brushing after each meal, to better fight bad breath.  If you practice great oral hygiene habits and don’t have any decayed teeth or plaque, and yet still experience bad breath, maybe you should visit your dentist.  He/she may be able to identify a possible cause that could have been overlooked.

Good luck!