Receding Gums - Causes

Causes

There are several possible causes for gingival recession:

• Abnormal tooth position, such as tooth crowding, giving inadequate cover of one or more teeth by the jaw bone.
• Hereditary thin, fragile or insufficient gingival tissue.
• Overaggressive brushing, which causes the enamel at the gum line to be worn away by scrubbing the sides of the teeth in a washboard fashion
• Periodontal disease
• Inadequate brushing or flossing, which allows bacteria to build up between the teeth, resulting in enzymes eating the bone away from the teeth
• Improper flossing (i.e., flossing too roughly or aggressively)
• Eating disorders, from self-induced vomiting
• Dipping tobacco, which affects the mucus membrane lining in the mouth and will cause receding gums over time
• Grinding of the teeth (bruxism)
• Intentional gingival retraction. For example, the adult tooth may not grow out of the gum, and to remedy this, a procedure called an exposure is done. It involves the gum tissue being cut open to allow the adult tooth to grow out. This is a less common cause of gum recession.
• Adult orthodontic movement of teeth.
• Piercings in the lip or tongue that wear away the gum by rubbing against it.
• Sensitivity to detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which are found in most commercial toothpastes.
• Scurvy