Why Do My Gums Recede

Why Do My Gums Recede

A common insidious problem but huge impact

Summer Lotus
3 min readMar 27, 2021

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By Rosalind Ho

Gum recession is the movement of gum away from its natural level which is at the junction between the root and crown called cemento-enamel junction.

Problems associated with gum recession

1 Esthetic concern – the patient may have longer-looking teeth. If the lip is short or if there is a gummy smile, a tooth that is receded in the gums will present as a sore sight.

2 Sensitivity of teeth may result as roots are innervated (have nerve endings). The patient may feel a sharp stimulus when drinking hot or cold.

3 Food impaction – As gum shrinks, gaps that are unsightly are also food trap areas which may lead to tooth decay if not removed.

4 Speech affected – In severe gum recession, air may escape through the spaces resulting in embarrassment due to splatter of saliva and sounds escaping.

5 Teeth affected in other ways – As recession is accompanied by bone loss, the teeth would become mobile with time resulting in drifting, tilting, and overeruption.

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Generally, gums would recede exposing the roots with time. This comes with age as the bone resorbs slowly.

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Summer Lotus

Inspired by mundane events to write to become more self aware. Challenge seeker, lover of sports, dental surgeon, ardent Toastmaster.