Does Teeth Grinding Cause Gum Recession?

Having a vibrant tooth grin is a beautiful thing. However, showing a little too much tooth when one smiles is a cause of concern. Unfortunately, if you have bruxism, there is a link between teeth grinding and gum recession. To worsen the case, gum tissues that have receded never grow back. Thankfully, one doesn’t have to accept these changes. There are treatments available for teeth grinding in Wynnewood, PA, so making the right steps help protect your gums, teeth and smile.

What Causes are Teeth Grinding?

Teeth clenching or grinding is caused by a variety of things, including:

• Excessive stress
• Having a poor dental alignment
• A side effect of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea

Teeth Grinding and Gum Recession

Having bruxism means repeatedly grinding your teeth and jaw clenching often when asleep. It’s an annoying habit and a danger to one’s oral health. In addition, bruxing causes cracked and worn teeth.

Teeth grinding have some effects on the gums. The motion and pressure may drive the delicate gum tissue back and cause gum receding. This bares part of the roots of your teeth. It also loosens the tight grip of the tissue in your teeth. This leads to gingival pockets, which are not good news. The pockets provide fertile ground for bacteria to gather and grow. This will create a vicious and destructive cycle that causes the gums to retreat more.

The loss of gum tissue is a major concern. Once the tissue is gone, it doesn’t grow back, and the exposed root of your tooth and surrounding structures becomes more vulnerable. If the gum recession is left untreated, it leads to tooth loss easily.

Other causes include gum disease, which prompts the gums to recede. Injury can also trigger gum recession. Also, lacking dental hygiene may be to blame if you don’t take good care of your teeth. In addition, brushing your teeth with the wrong tools can cause gum recession.

Treatment Options for Bruxism and Gum Recession

Fortunately, your dentist in Wynnewood Dental Arts can do a lot to help you with gum recession and bruxism. Here are some treatments:

Treatment for Bruxism

Treating teeth grinding and clenching helps reduce the strain on the teeth and gums. This helps prevent and slow the tide of gum recession. There are a few options for the treatment:

Night guards: These are also called mouth guards, oral splints, occlusal guards and dental appliances. These appliances fit over the lower and upper teeth. They are designed to keep your teeth separated. Night guards have varying durability, hardness, comfort and quality. Custom night guards are made from medical-grade products in a dental lab. The guards also offer a more comfortable fit.

Botox: These are injections that target the jaw muscles. They help ease the repetitive clenching and grinding.

Medications: Anti-inflammatories, muscles relaxers and painkillers are used to relax your muscle. They also ease pain and inflammation in your jaw. In some cases, treatments and medications aimed at other conditions like sleep apnea and anxiety also help reduce bruxism.

Treatments for Gum Recession

Some of these treatments include:

Gum Grafting

Here, your dentist in Wynnewood, PA harvests tissue from elsewhere in your mouth and graft it into the recessed area of the gums. Gum grafting is time-tested and effective.

The Pinhole Surgical Technique

This treatment helps alleviate gum recession without any negative side effects. During this surgical technique, your dentist makes a small incision about the size of a pinhole above the recessed area. Next, they use special tools to push the gum tissue downwards gently. Tiny collagen strips are also used to hold your gum tissue in place. The treatment is effective and requires a very simple recovery.

Preventing Gum Recession

To prevent gum recession, you should take your oral hygiene seriously. Ensure you floss and brush regularly using the right toothpaste and toothbrush. Also, ensure you use the right techniques for flossing correctly and gently. Finally, you should attend dental checkups and ask your dental professional for pointers.

You should pay attention if your dentist in Wynnewood, PA mentions gum disease. The early stage of gum disease is gingivitis, which turns to periodontitis if left untreated. At this stage, gum recession is a serious risk.