Receding Gums Maryville, TN

Your gums serve an essential purpose in your oral health. The gums are part of the soft tissue lining of the mouth. They form a tight seal at the base of your teeth. This tight seal forms a barrier against bacteria, holds your teeth in place, and protects the underlying bone structure. If you have problems like receding gums in Maryville, TN, you should seek care in our dental office.

Receding gums is when the gums begin to draw back from the teeth, which exposes the teeth roots. This can be a sign of an oral health issue. Even though this problem is fairly common, you should not ignore gum recession and seek treatment from Dr. Robert Cain, a Knoxville periodontist.

East Tennessee Periodontics offers many tissue additive procedures for the correction of receding gum lines. As a highly trained and experienced dentist, Dr. Cain attracts many patients from the surrounding communities including people from Maryville, TN.

Receding Gums treatment in Maryville TN

What Causes Receding Gums?

Many things cause receding gums, including aging, brushing too hard, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and poor oral hygiene:

  • Aging: As we get older, our gums can start to recede. This happens because the tissues and bones that support our teeth naturally weaken over time. Factors like brushing too hard, gum disease, or not taking good care of our teeth can speed up this process.
  • Hard Brushing: Some patients think brushing their teeth harder will ensure they get a better clean. However, brushing too hard can wear down your tooth enamel and gums. When you brush aggressively, it can push the gums away from your teeth to expose the roots underneath.
  • Teeth Grinding: This problem puts extra pressure on your teeth and gums. When you grind your teeth, the force can wear down the enamel and push against the gums. Over time, this constant pressure can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth.
  • Poor Oral Hygiene: People with poor oral hygiene often develop gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease characterized by red, swollen, or irritated gums that may bleed when brushing. But often, people may not even know they have developed gingivitis. Gingivitis develops when plaque is not removed from the teeth surfaces. Bacteria then enter the gums. Plaque can build up if you do not brush or floss daily.

Treatment for Receding Gums in Knoxville, TN

Once your gums begin to recede, they do not grow back. This is why we suggest treatment as soon as possible. Dr. Cain offers a range of treatments that allow him to customize your periodontal treatment for healthy, natural-looking results. The treatment you need depends on the cause and severity of your symptoms.

  • Chao Pinhole Technique: This treatment allows Dr. Cain to reshape your gum line without cutting or using stitches. He will create a tiny hole in the gums where he will enter with a special tool designed to loosen the gum tissue and reposition the gum line. The loosened gum tissue will then be moved down to cover the receded part of the tooth. It only takes about 1-2 hours to complete. This treatment is minimally invasive and causes minimal discomfort and downtime.
  • Osseous Surgery: During this treatment, Dr. Cain will gently fold back the gum tissue to remove plaque and tartar buildup. If the bone is damaged, he will softly reshape and mold it to create a smooth base. This will limit the areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide and allow Dr. Cain to reattach the gums to healthy bone.
  • Soft tissue allografts: Dr. Cain will take tissue from the roof of your mouth and place it over the exposed roots, stitching it into place. He will apply a dressing for a few weeks while the gums heal. While your natural gums will not grow back, this treatment ensures you get new, healthy tissue.

How to Heal From Gum Recession

Your dentist will give you specific instructions on how to care for your mouth after the procedure.

  • Eat the Right Foods: Stick to soft foods for the first few days, like yogurt, applesauce, mashed potatoes, or scrambled eggs. This helps prevent irritation to the treated area. Hot and spicy foods can irritate the gums and slow the healing process. Try to avoid them until your gums have healed completely.
  • Keep the Area Clean: Gently brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and use any recommended mouthwash to keep the area clean. Do not floss in the treated area until we says it’s okay. Being gentle with the treated area will reduce inflammation and soreness.
  • Rest and Hydrate: Get plenty of rest to help your body heal faster. Drinking water will also keep you hydrated and promote healing. Water rinses away food particles and bacteria that could irritate your healing gums or cause an infection. Drinking water can reduce dry mouth, which can be uncomfortable and slow down recovery.
  • Don’t Smoke Or Drink Alcohol: Smoking and alcohol can slow down the healing process and increase the risk of infection. Tobacco products contain nictoine that restricts the blood vessels. Less blood flow to the soft tissues means slower healing. Alcohol can trigger dry mouth, which creates the perfect breeding ground for infection. Avoid alcohol and tobacco while you heal for the best results.

We will work with you to schedule follow-up appointments. At these visits, we can check how well you’re healing and address any issues. You should still schedule regular visits, where we provide cleanings and X-rays. Routine visits ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy after treatment.

Treat Receding Gums

Identifying and treating the cause of your gum recession is essential. Gum recession will expose the tooth root leading to root decay, bone loss, and even tooth loss. If you notice signs of gum recession, schedule a dental exam and bleeding gums evaluation with our dentists in Knoxville, TN, today. You can also call our office at (865) 276-7173.

Let us know if you have questions about treatment. We are here to find the best solution to your gum problems.