Receding Gums: Why It Happens and What Can Be Done

Gums that have pulled back leave teeth looking longer, feeling sharper to cold, and often catching food where they never used to. The recession itself will not reverse, but it can almost always be stopped from getting worse, and that is the part worth acting on.

The short answer

Recession is the gum margin migrating away from the crown of the tooth, exposing root surface that was never meant to be on show. Root has no enamel, so it is more sensitive and decays more easily. The two big causes are gum disease and physical trauma from over-vigorous brushing, and they need opposite responses: one needs more thorough cleaning, the other needs gentler cleaning. Working out which you have is the whole point of getting it assessed.

Why gums recede

• Brushing too hard, or with too firm a brush. The classic pattern is even, V-shaped notching on the outer surfaces of the teeth you brush most enthusiastically, often worse on the side opposite your writing hand. Frequently accompanied by a worn groove in the tooth at the gumline.
• Gum disease. Inflammation destroys the attachment and the bone beneath it, and the gum follows the bone down. This pattern is usually less even and comes with the other signs covered in our guide to bleeding gums and gum disease.
• Thin gum tissue you were born with. Some people simply have delicate gum and thin bone over prominent roots, and recede readily with very little provocation.
• Grinding and clenching. Heavy repeated loading flexes teeth at the neck and is associated with both recession and notching. See our guide to teeth grinding.
• Crowding and tooth position. A tooth sitting outside the arch has less bone in front of it to start with.
• Lip and tongue piercings. A stud resting against the gum will wear a notch into it over a few years, and this kind of recession can be severe.
• Orthodontic movement, occasionally, where teeth are moved outwards through thin bone.

What can actually be done

Be straight about the ceiling here: gum that has receded does not grow back on its own, and no toothpaste, mouthwash or supplement will regrow it. What is achievable is stopping the progression, which is usually entirely possible, and managing the consequences.

• Fix the cause first. If it is brushing technique, switch to a soft brush, stop scrubbing, and use small circles with almost no pressure. An electric brush with a pressure sensor is genuinely useful because it removes the judgement. If it is gum disease, the answer is the opposite: more thorough cleaning between the teeth and professional treatment.
• Manage the sensitivity. Exposed root is why cold water hurts. Sensitive toothpaste rubbed into the area at night and not rinsed off works well over a few weeks. See our guide to sensitive teeth.
• Protect the exposed root from decay. Root surface decays faster than enamel, so fluoride matters more than it did. Your dentist may recommend a higher-strength fluoride toothpaste.
• Restore the notch where it is deep. A worn groove at the gumline can be filled with composite, from £125, which reduces sensitivity and stops it deepening.
• Gum grafting exists for severe or rapidly progressing cases and is a specialist procedure. If yours warrants considering it, we will tell you and refer you rather than pretend otherwise.

When to get it looked at sooner

Book promptly if recession is visibly progressing over months rather than years, if a tooth has started to feel loose, if there is bleeding or a bad taste alongside it, or if a single tooth has receded sharply while its neighbours are fine. Those suggest active disease rather than gradual wear.

What it costs

A new patient examination is £89 including X-rays, which is how we tell trauma from disease and measure whether it is stable or moving. Hygiene appointments are £60 for twenty minutes or £89 for thirty. Composite to fill a worn notch starts from £125. All prices are on our fees page.

Frequently asked questions

Can receding gums grow back?

Not on their own, and nothing you buy will regrow them. Recession can be halted, sensitivity treated, and in selected cases the tissue surgically replaced by a specialist. Preventing further loss is the realistic goal.

Am I brushing too hard?

Likely, if your bristles splay out within a few weeks, if you brush with your whole arm rather than your fingers, or if there is a smooth notch worn into the teeth at the gumline. Almost nobody brushes too gently.

Will my teeth fall out?

Recession from brushing very rarely costs you a tooth. Recession caused by untreated gum disease can, because that means bone loss. That is the reason the distinction matters more than the appearance.

Should I use a mouthwash for it?

It will not help the recession. If your gums are inflamed, cleaning between the teeth properly does far more, and a prescribed mouthwash is a short-term addition rather than a treatment. Chlorhexidine also stains teeth with prolonged use.

If your gums have changed and you are not sure why, twenty minutes will answer it. Call us on 01625 574609.

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