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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How can I stop my gums from receding?

    Related Topic
    Oral Health
    Help! My gums are beginning to recede and the roots of my teeth are becoming more visible. Is this reversible? What is causing it? How can I get it to stop?
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  • 7

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    Dr Kevin Jaffar

    Dentist

    Jaffar Dental - Trusted and Established since 1997. We are a family owned General Dental Practice offering a friendly and caring environment in Waterford QLD. … View Profile

    Correct oral hygiene techniques to prevent gum recession involve:

    a) brush teeth with a small soft toothbrush 2-3 times daily
    b) floss between all teeth once daily
    c) stop any smoking habits
    d) avoid over vigorous brushing with hard brush
    e) Regular six monthly scale and polish treatment by a dentist are of upmost importance.

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  • 8

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    Dr Natalie Dalati

    Dentist

    Dr Dalati has previously worked in a Glebe dental practice for 8 years.After graduating from Sydney University in 2004 Natalie worked as a general Dentist … View Profile

    Most of the time when your gums recede it is an irreversible process. It can be patched up with gum grafting but that sort of procedure is quite unpredictable and very costly. So, the best thing to do about gum recession is to prevent it from happening to begin with.

    Gum recession is normally attributed to toothbrush abrasion (using your toothbrush too hard). If you have a hard toothbrush, you should switch to a soft one. If you're using a soft toothbrush and you're still getting gum recession, then you need to be a lot less heavy handed with your brushing.

    Additionally, genetics plays a role in gum recession. There are quite a few different types of gum biotypes (the thickness of the gums). People with thin gums are a lot more susceptible to gum recession than those with thicker gums. This is genetic predisposition; it gets passed on from your mum and dad to you.

    So, always make sure you're using a soft toothbrush and that you're doing small rotational movements or flicks. Never brush back and forth (in a sawing motion) because that is damaging for the gums.

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  • 4

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    Dr Jeremy Rourke

    Dentist

    Gums usually recede as a result of irritaion. The two most common causes are brushing way too hard, scrubbing !  and periodontal disease caused by plaque accumulation. Both causes are best addressed by gentle brushing with an electric toothbrush, flossing and toothpicking. 

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  • 6

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    Dr Daniel Kaufman

    Dentist

    Dr Kaufman provides professional and high quality dental care with a very gentle touch, resulting in an authentic relaxed experience for his patients. He takes … View Profile

    Gums are like the skin covering the undelying jaw bone. They recession of the gums is usually following the loss of the supporting bone. Some times it can be caused by agressive brushing. The first step to halt the gum recession is good oral hygiene and removal of any bacteria by a dentist in order to allow the healing of the gum inflamation. Following this treatment there are various procedures which can help in regaining the lost cover of the teeth.

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