Maintaining healthy gums from childhood to adulthood and beyond is essential to your overall health!
As we age, our nutritional needs start to change. More specifically, aging is linked to reduced muscle loss, loss of skin volume and elasticity, and reduced stomach acid. As our stomach acid reduces, it becomes more difficult for our bodies to absorb certain nutrients, especially calcium, iron, B12 and magnesium. And these are the nutrients we need to keep our gums strong and resilient!
Without proper nutrition, a strong oral hygiene routine and healthy habits, our gums can start to recede, exposing the tooth roots and leaving our mouths susceptible to a number of health concerns.
Here’s what you need to know about receding gums and aging.
Why Do Gums Recede with Age?
Just like our hairlines, our gums tend to recede with age. Recession starts to occur when the gums pull away from the teeth. This can be due to natural aging, but also years of aggressively brushing your teeth, not brushing or flossing your teeth regularly or thoroughly, or a sign of gum disease.
As the gums recede and the tooth roots are exposed, they become more sensitive to hot and cold foods, and more susceptible to bacteria buildup, gum disease and tooth decay.
How to Stop Receding Gums from Getting Worse
The gums can start to recede at any age. In fact, studies show that gum recession affects about “88 percent of people 65 years of age and older” and “50 percent of people 18 to 64 years of age”. Gum recession isn’t reserved for older adults! That’s why it’s important to notice the signs of gum recession at an early age and take precautions to stop receding gums from getting worse.
Whether you’re 18 or 50, now is the time to boost your gum health.
1.Brush and floss, without fail, every single day.
It’s important that you keep your teeth and gums clean! Going to sleep without brushing your teeth isn’t worth the gum recession it can lead to. To prevent gum recession, support your gums by brushing and flossing away the food particles, bacteria and plaque that start to build up throughout the day.
2.Be gentle but thorough when you brush your teeth.
Brushing too aggressively is one of the main causes behind receding gums! Overbrushing will start to push the tender gum tissue up toward the gums, resulting in recession and exposed tooth roots. This makes the gums more susceptible to periodontal disease too, which can cause the gums to recede further.
If you notice your toothbrush bristles are splayed out or pointing outwards, or your gums are swollen, red or bleeding after brushing, this is an indication that you’re over brushing. Don’t press so hard on your teeth and try using a soft-bristled toothbrush to help your gums heal!
3. Schedule a deep cleaning if you notice early signs of gum recession.
A deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing procedure, can help to eliminate gum disease before it progresses to the later stages! If you have receding gums and exposed tooth roots, a deep cleaning may be a beneficial treatment for you.
During this procedure, we carefully clean the crowns of the teeth as well as the root surfaces under the gums. This allows us to remove bacteria, toxins and tartar that begin to build up in the areas where the gums recede.
If you think this treatment may be right for you, or you want to learn more about it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or schedule an appointment!
4. Kick the bad habits!
Harmful habits, especially smoking cigarettes, can cause the gums to start receding and will worsen already-receding gums. The irritants and toxins in tobacco can cause gum disease and quickly lead to tooth loss!
Eating an imbalanced diet also has a significant effect on your gum health. Especially as we age, it’s critical that we’re filling our bodies with nutritional, vitamin-rich foods. Poor gum health has been linked to a vitamin C deficiency and diets high in sugar and carbs.
Still have questions?
We’re here for you and your gums! We provide expert, local treatment from experienced periodontists you can trust. Whether you’re noticing the early signs of gum recession or you’re due for a periodontal cleaning, we want to help you maintain healthy gums throughout the years.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us in Tampa or New Port Richey with any questions. Or if you’re ready to schedule an appointment, we’re excited to meet you!
