Gingival recession

Gum recession is a fairly common pathology of the dental system and oral cavity, which dentists call gum recession or apical displacement of the gingival margin.

Gum recession refers to a progressive process that leads to the exposure of the necks of the teeth and their roots. The end result may be tooth loss.

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Causes of gum recession

The gums covering the jaw bone and adjacent to the surface of the teeth are part of the periodontium, and the most serious causes of gum recession are seen by specialists in inflammatory diseases of the periodontal tissues - necrotic gingivitis, periodontitis, periodontitis, as well as periodontosis (systemic alveolar bone dystrophy). And this is indeed the case.

However, in addition to insufficient oral hygiene and related problems, the pathogenesis of gum recession is directly related to:

• overly aggressive or improper brushing of teeth, leading to gum inflammation and increased tooth mobility;
• incorrect use of dental floss; dentists have also found that dental floss can cause cancer
• an anatomical feature of the anterior outer part of the oral cavity - the so-called shallow vestibule of the oral cavity (an arched gap between the cheeks and gums with teeth);
• a decrease in the thickness (recession) of the cortical layer of the alveolar bone due to the absence of teeth, which leads to a decrease in the chewing load and, as a consequence, to a disruption of the blood supply and intra-tissue metabolism;
• various anomalies of the dental row (tightly growing or twisted teeth);
• malocclusion (in particular, deep bite, when the front teeth of the upper jaw greatly overlap the incisors of the lower jaw and constantly injure the gum margin);
• carious lesions of the tooth neck and roots;
• wearing orthodontic devices to straighten the teeth;
• age-related (senile) dystrophy of periodontal tissues;
• osteoporosis in postmenopausal women associated with decreased estrogen production;
• bruxism (somatically caused involuntary clenching or grinding of teeth);
• smoking;
• Vitamin C deficiency.

As experts note, the degree of gum recession varies from 0.2-0.3 cm to 0.7 cm and even more, and the main localization of the pathology is the outer part of the gum near the upper canines and premolars located immediately behind them and in the area of the lower front teeth.

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Treatment of receding gums

Treatment of gum recession should begin with solving the problem that caused it. If everything is clear with brushing your teeth, then dentists will treat inflammatory gum diseases and caries. In other cases, help from other specialists will be required, but eliminating all the causes of this pathology can be extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible.

Therefore, drug therapy does not always give a positive result, and then surgical treatment of gum recession is used, which allows to “lift” its level and close the protruding roots of the teeth. Plastic surgery is practiced by applying a mucosal flap on a feeding “pedicle” laterally moved from the adjacent gum area to the problem area, and in case of very deep exposure of the dental roots, an autogenous mucosal flap taken from the palatine part of the oral cavity is sewn on.

In addition, local restoration of periodontal tissues is carried out by applying biologically compatible collagen membranes to the cortical plate of the alveolar process. For example, sterile absorbable two-layer membranes Geistlich Bio-Oss, Geistlich Bio-Gide, Zimmer Dental or non-absorbable PTFE Membrane, designed for targeted regeneration of tissues and bones.

Amylogenins, proteins of tooth enamel (obtained from cells of porcine tooth germs), are used for the same purpose. Thus, the gel-like preparation Emdogain is applied to the root of the tooth under the flap, and then the process of formation of new alveolar bone tissue begins in the area of gum recession. According to experts from the European Federation of Periodontologists (EFP), modern regenerative techniques can increase the likelihood of tissue restoration in case of gum recession.

One of the latest achievements in the treatment of this pathology is considered to be the combination of allografts with the introduction of recombinant platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), which stimulates the proliferation of periodontal tissue cells.

Treatment of receding gums with folk remedies

In most cases, treatment of receding gums with folk remedies uses natural remedies that can be used at home - to reduce gum inflammation.

For rinsing the mouth, herbalists recommend decoctions of yarrow, sage, St. John's wort, mint, oak bark, eucalyptus leaves (a tablespoon of dry mixture per glass of water, boil for 10-12 minutes). Antiseptic rinsing can be done with propolis tincture, with essential oil of tea tree, cloves, rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus (2-3 drops per 180 ml of water).

Aloe leaf juice, kept in the refrigerator for 8-10 days, warm clove, sea buckthorn, sesame or myrrh and chamomile oils are used to massage the gums (for several minutes once a day).

American dentists advise their patients to strengthen their gums with green tea (which should be drunk at least 600 ml per day) and rose vinegar, which should be used to rinse the mouth. To prepare this remedy, you will need 350 ml of ready-made wine vinegar and 100 g of rose petals, leave it in a dark place for a week, and then rinse daily at the rate of a tablespoon of vinegar per 150 ml of boiled water.

In general, the main thing is to prevent gum recession, because good gum condition is a key factor in maintaining the working condition of the dental system.