Retired gums: definition
"Retired gums" is the term normally used in jargon to define a pathological condition known as gum recession . We talk about gums withdrawn to indicate the withdrawal or in any case the displacement of the same from its original location towards the apical margin (root) of the tooth.
Although all the teeth can be affected by gums withdrawn, the most involved are canines and premolars. The main cause of gum recession lies in incorrect oral hygiene; precisely, the risk of withdrawn gums increases considerably when the teeth are brushed inadequately (eg horizontally or from the tooth towards the gum), particularly if hard toothbrushes are used. To alleviate the discomfort produced by retired gums, it is recommended that the inadequate daily cleaning of the teeth be corrected. In cases where the gums withdrawn create considerable disorders, gingival surgery is conceivable, possibly supported by a connective tissue graft.
Causes
Retired gums are a fairly common phenomenon in adults over the age of 40, although the first symptoms may already appear in adolescence.
We have seen that incorrect tooth brushing, especially if you regularly use a hard bristle toothbrush, is the main risk factor for gums withdrawn.
In addition to this, the pseudo-pathological phenomenon can be caused by countless other etiological factors:
- Habit of chewing tobacco
- Bruxism (tendency to clench the teeth, a phenomenon that is accentuated in the presence of stress and tension)
- Crooked teeth, dental malocclusions and crowding of the teeth
- Eating disorders (eg bulimia)
- Gingivitis
- Hypersensitivity to sodium lauryl sulphate, a foaming cosmetic ingredient that is part of the formulation of many commercial toothpastes
- Gingival hereditary diseases
- Periodontitis (both cause and consequence of gums withdrawn)
- Lip or tongue piercings, accused of damaging the gums by rubbing against them
- Scurvy (a serious deficiency of vitamin C)
- Incorrect oral hygiene: in addition to brushing the teeth in an unsuitable way, the habit of not flossing favors the gums withdrawn because the bacteria, nesting in the interdental spaces, damage the enamel and thin the gum, making it fragile and delicate
- Teeth shift
Symptoms
Gingival recession should not be considered an acute phenomenon that occurs suddenly - and without warning - from one day to the next. Retired gums are the end result of a series of incorrect attitudes and / or chronic disorders that progressively push the gum towards the root of the tooth. And it is precisely for this reason that the gums withdraw tend to show the first annoying symptoms after the age of 40. It is not uncommon for the gums to appear apparently healthy up to this age and the disorder to go completely unnoticed.
The denudation of the dental collars and the radicular surfaces that characterize the retired gums cause dentinal IPERSENSIBILITY, which worsens punctually in response to thermal stimuli (food / drinks that are too hot or excessively cold, pungent air that enters from the oral cavity) or mechanical (touching tooth with a toothbrush). Inevitably, dental hypersensitivity caused by gingival regression causes the subject not to brush their teeth accurately (so as to perceive a reduced discomfort): to the benefit of the bacteria, this wrong attitude favors the accumulation of plaque and tartar, the major defendants of CARIOGENIC PROCESSES.
When the gingival retraction depends on chronic inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), the patient accuses ALITOSI (bad breath), tendency of the GUMS to BLOOD and red, swollen and red gums.
Not to mention, then, the AESTHETIC COMPROMISE caused by the gums withdrawn: in similar circumstances, the teeth seem longer, the dental roots are visible and exposed (late symptoms of pyorrhea), and the interdental spaces seem larger. In reality, the space between the tooth and the tooth remains the same, but it appears larger because the gums withdrawn are not able to cover the area. Even the COLOR OF TEETH is altered in the presence of retired gums, due to the color difference between tooth enamel (white) and yellowish cement (exposed because the gums have receded).
In advanced stages, gingival regression can cause TEETH SHIFT AND LOSS.
| Summary of signs and symptoms characteristic of gums withdrawn | |
Aesthetic compromise | Signs and Symptoms |
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Treatments
When gingival recessions are a cause of dentinal hypersensitivity, it is possible to treat the problem with a gingival surgery, in order to provide a new covering for the dental root and to ensure protection against sensitive teeth.
The possible surgical interventions indicated to restore gingival adherence are:
- Soft tissue graft ("gingival autograft"): effective treatment against retracted gums that allows you to cover the exposed root and thicken the gum tissue. The purpose of the intervention is to minimize the possibility of further, if any, regression of the gingiva.
- Tooth implantation: drastic treatment to solve the problem of withdrawn gums. The dental implant is indicated to restore both the appearance of the teeth and the masticatory function, seriously compromised by advanced gingival retraction.
Prevention
The accurate daily dental cleaning, performed with adequate tools, is however the best trick to prevent the gums withdrawn. To minimize the risk of gingival regression, it is recommended to use a soft bristle toothbrush and gently brush the teeth, from the gum to the tooth, never upside down or horizontally. In addition, the choice of toothpastes is important: it is recommended to prefer toothpaste enriched with fluoride and not to consistently use products with bleaching action (charged with increasing the sensitivity of the teeth).
Even professional dental cleaning is extremely important to keep your teeth healthy for as long as possible: we recommend that you undergo hygiene at least once or twice a year. In fact, plaque and tartar deposition increases the risk of caries, pyorrhea and gingivitis which - let us remember once again - are factors that predispose a subject to withdrawn gums and other serious dental problems.
