Receding gums do not grow back on their own. Once the gum has pulled away from a tooth, it stays back unless a dentist moves or adds tissue to cover the root. Treatment can stop the recession from getting worse and often cover the exposed root again.
No rinse, oil or vitamin has been shown to rebuild a gumline. What can change is the health of the gum that is left, and a dentist has more than one way to deal with a root that is already exposed.
What Can Look Like Regrowth
Some people who say they healed their receding gums are describing something real. With gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, gums can turn red, swell and bleed easily. The American Dental Association notes that at this stage the disease is still reversible, and a professional cleaning followed by daily brushing and flossing can usually clear it. As the swelling settles, the gum looks firmer, pinker and closer around the tooth.
A healthier gum is not the same as regrown gum. Judging by eye is unreliable, so a dentist measures where the gum edge sits on each tooth and compares it at later visits. If your teeth still look long and the notch near the gumline is still there, the recession is still there.
What Causes the Gum to Pull Back
The cause decides the treatment, and more than one cause is common.
- Brushing too hard, or with a stiff brush
- Gum disease, which destroys the tissue and bone that hold the gum in place
- Grinding or clenching, which puts steady pressure on the teeth
- Tobacco use
- Teeth that sit out of line with the others
- Naturally thin gum tissue, which tends to run in families
What to Do First
Treatment follows an order, because covering a root while the cause is still active usually means the gum pulls back again.
- Find the cause. A dentist can measure how far the gum has pulled back on each tooth and how deep the spaces between the teeth and gums are, and X-rays show the bone underneath.
- Stop it from getting worse. A softer brush and lighter pressure are often enough when brushing caused it. When gum disease caused it, the infection comes under control first, and a night guard is often recommended for grinding.
- Decide whether the root needs covering. Recession that is small, stable and not sensitive is often watched over time with the gum measured at each visit. Covering the root is usually considered when it is sensitive, keeps progressing, has too little firm gum around it or bothers you.
Finding the cause is the first step of gum recession treatment, because the same measurements show whether the root needs covering at all. A desensitizing toothpaste used daily can take the edge off a sensitive root while you decide, though it takes several weeks and does not change the gumline.
How a Root Can Be Covered Again
A gum graft and the pinhole technique both aim to cover a root, and they work differently.
A gum graft places new tissue over the root and stitches it in place. The tissue may come from the roof of your mouth, from the gum beside the tooth or from a tissue bank. A 2018 Cochrane review of 48 randomized trials of root coverage procedures found that grafts of connective tissue taken from under the surface of the palate gave a slight edge when the goal was both covering the root and gaining a wider band of firm gum. The authors rated much of that evidence as low quality.
The Chao Pinhole® technique moves the gum you already have. A small entry point is made in the gum, instruments loosen the tissue through it, and the gum is slid down over the root, often with small strips of collagen tucked underneath to help hold it. No tissue is taken from the palate. It depends on there being enough healthy gum nearby to move. The research on it is newer and smaller than for grafts, mostly case series and small trials, and it was not part of the Cochrane review.
Neither one is better for everyone. Thin gum or little firm gum around the tooth tends to point toward a graft, because a graft adds tissue and moving tissue cannot. Healthy, thicker gum across several neighboring teeth is where the pinhole approach tends to fit. Bone loss between the teeth limits how much of either can be expected to cover, so an exam comes before any promise about results.
Keeping Recession From Coming Back
- Brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush and light pressure, angled toward the gumline
- Clean between your teeth once a day, gently
- Stop smoking or using tobacco
- Wear a night guard if your dentist recommends one for grinding
- Keep up with cleanings, and mention any new sensitivity or change in your gumline
Cost and Insurance
What treatment costs depends on what you need. Changing how you brush costs nothing, a deep cleaning is priced by how much of the mouth it covers, and grafting or pinhole surgery is priced by how many teeth are treated. Ask for an estimate after your evaluation so you know the number before treatment starts. We accept PPO plans, so ask us how your plan applies, and we offer payment plans through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do receding gums grow back?
Receding gums do not grow back on their own once the tissue has pulled away from the tooth. A gum graft or the pinhole technique can often cover an exposed root again, and good brushing and regular cleanings help stop further recession. A dentist measures the gum to see which of these applies.
Can gums regrow from aggressive brushing?
Gums that have receded from aggressive brushing do not regrow, even after you switch to a soft brush and lighter pressure. Changing the habit stops the damage from continuing, which is the main goal. If the exposed root is sensitive or the gumline bothers you, a graft or pinhole procedure can cover it once the brushing habit is under control.
Does flossing help receding gums?
Flossing helps by removing plaque between the teeth, which lowers the chance of the gum disease that causes much recession. Flossing does not regrow gum that is already gone. Snapping floss down hard can cut the gum, so slide it gently against each tooth in a C shape.
Does receding gums cause bad breath?
Receding gums can go along with bad breath, mainly because the plaque and gum disease behind much recession also produce odor. Bacteria collect in the spaces between the gum and tooth, and exposed roots are harder to keep clean. Bad breath that does not go away with brushing and cleaning between the teeth is worth having checked.
What kills gum disease naturally?
Nothing at home kills gum disease or removes the hard tartar that feeds it. Brushing and cleaning between your teeth every day remove the soft plaque, and a salt water rinse can soothe sore gums, but tartar can only be removed with a professional cleaning. Deeper infection below the gumline usually needs a deep cleaning.
Can vitamins or home remedies regrow receding gums?
Vitamins, oil pulling and herbal rinses have not been shown to regrow receded gum tissue. A real shortage of vitamin C can harm the gums, but taking extra does not rebuild a gumline that has already receded. Rinses may freshen breath, yet the only options that restore coverage over a root are surgical.
Worried About Your Gumline?
If your teeth look longer or feel sensitive near the gumline, call Redondo Beach Dental Group at (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online and ask us to measure your gums.