Introduction

Receding gums that expose the root surfaces of teeth is a common condition in adults over the age of 40 but may also start in teens. Currently most people focus on preventing periodontitis which is the main cause.    

 
Treatments for already receded gums remain tricky however there is drug called Periostat that inhibits gum disease while allowing the gums to reattach to teeth. Guided tissue gum regeneration and gum grafts are both becoming more popular. Developing stem treatments for regenerating gums are well underway and have been successful in mice.

Herbal Treatments For Receding Gums
 

Some herbal and homeopathic treatments may be helpful, but do some research first. Since herbs and homeopathic remedies aren't regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it's important to know the ingredients and side effects of anything you use. Some people give these a try before considering surgery.
 

Take plain baking soda, mix it with a little bit of water, and apply it with your fingers along the gum line in a small section of your mouth. Then brush. You'll clean, polish, neutralize acidic bacterial wastes, and deodorize, all in one go.

Brush their gums with aloe gel. It's a healing agent and it will reduce some of the plaque in your mouth.
 

Traditional Treatments
 

If your dentist determines that you have receding gums and some bone loss, the standard treatment is an intensive deep-cleaning, non-surgical method called scaling and root planing also known as SRP. Scaling scrapes the tartar and plaque from above and below the gum line. Root planing smoothes rough spots on the tooth root where germs collect and helps remove bacteria that can contribute to the disease. The idea is to clean and smoothen all surfaces to encourage the gums to reattach and grow.
 

A relatively new drug in the arsenal against serious gum disease is called Periostat (doxycycline hyclate). It  was approved by the FDA in 1998 to be used in combination with SRP.While SRP primarily eliminates bacteria, Periostat, which is taken orally, suppresses the action of collagenase. Collagenasean is an enzyme that causes destruction of the teeth and gums.
 

Flap surgery
 

This surgery involves lifting back the gums to remove all tartar. The gums are then sewn back in place so the tissue fits snugly around the tooth. This also reduces the pockets and areas where bacteria can grow.

Guided Tissue Gum Regeneration
 

This technique stimulates bone and gum tissue growth. Its usually done in combination with flap surgery. A small piece of supporting mesh type fabric is inserted between the bone and gum tissue. This keeps the gum tissue from growing into the area where the bone should be, allowing the bone and connective tissue to regrow and better support the teeth.
 

Tissue Gum Graft
 

There are two types of gum tissues that surround a tooth. The part of the gum that is around the neck of the tooth called the "gingiva" and this is firmly attached to the tooth and underlying bone. This attached gingiva is immovable and resistant to normal trauma from eating and tooth brushing. Everyone is born with different widths and thicknesses of attached gingiva. Some people naturally have thin or insufficient attached gingiva. Even though the person may be very dedicated to oral health the gum can slowly continues to recede over time. So eventually everyone may need a gum graft procedure done.
 

During a gum graft procedure, a small strip of gum tissue is taken from your palate or another donor source to cover the exposed tooth root. This can be done for one tooth or several teeth which will even your gum line and reduce sensitivity.Gum grafts help reduce further recession and bone loss as covering the exposed roots protect them from decay. This all works to reduce tooth sensitivity, improve your smile and overall confidence.
 

Bone grafts
 

Bone grafts are used to replace bone destroyed by periodontitis. Tiny fragments of your own bone, synthetic bone, or donated bone are placed where bone was lost. These grafts serve as a platform for the regrowth of bone, which restores stability to teeth.
 

Laser Gum Treatment or LASER ANAP
 

In 2005 Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. announced it had received FDA clearance for its laser-based periodontal disease treatment protocol while using the first ever digital dental laser, the PerioLase MVP-7
 

LASER ANAP (Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is a new innovative procedure for the treatment of periodontal (gum) disease. After verifying that you are a candidate, the experience is generally quite comfortable.
 

The area of the mouth is anesthetized with a local anesthetic and a Periodontal probe indicates excessive pocket depth. A small fiber optic cable housing the laser is directed to your gum tissues. Laser radiation removes sulcular debris and diseased tissue and pathologic proteins. Tactile feedback from the fiber alerts the practitioner to the presence of root roughness. Next a combination of ultrasonic scalers with irrigants and hand instruments are used to cleanse the root surface of accretions. Once clean, the laser is used again to finish debriding, sterilize the pocket and cause a coagulum to form. It is this coagulum that heals and becomes a new attachment from the bone to the tooth. Then the gum tissues are compressed with finger pressure, against the tooth and a stable fibrin clot forms at the gingival crest. And lastly, occlusal trauma is adjusted to redirect untoward forces along the long axis of the tooth with a highspeed handpiece and diamond bur.

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