About half of adults in the United States will suffer from gum disease, an infection affecting the connective tissue that keeps your teeth in place in your smile. The early stages of this infection may cause your gums to swell, bleed, and feel sore. But if gum disease advances, the tissue may start to recede and pull away from your teeth.
Gum recession can lead to many complications with your oral health. So you should seek treatment for gum disease before you experience these issues with your smile.
Other acute scenarios, including harsh teeth-brushing, may cause gum recession too. Make sure you visit your dentist on a regular basis so that they can identify early signs of this issue and offer treatment right away.
You may feel more inclined to pursue this routine and preventative dental care when you know more about the risks gum recession can bring to your smile. Read on to learn details about the dangers that may affect your smile if you do not seek treatment for gum recession.
Tooth Sensitivity
If the gums suffer damage and begin to recede, more of the teeth become exposed. This can alter the smile’s appearance, but this newly revealed part of the tooth was not designed for this type of exposure to external elements.
The enamel, the outer shell of the tooth, is often weaker or thinner where it is usually covered by gum tissue. So this part of the tooth will see less protection than usual. This may mean that nerves within the tooth’s inner layers risk exposure too.
If a food or drink touches these nerves, you may feel a sharp pain known as tooth sensitivity. Though the feeling will fade upon removal of the stimulus, it can still be highly disruptive.
The pain will not go away on its own because enamel cannot regenerate. You will need a dentist to help you treat sensitive teeth, so ideally, you should prevent this discomfort in the first place by treating and preventing gum recession.
Cavities
Since enamel may be thinner and weaker in the spots of the tooth exposed by gum recession, these areas might be in greater danger of certain dental problems. Healthy enamel can resist the natural oral bacteria that usually travel across your teeth. But these weak spots near receding gums could be in danger of tooth decay.
Oral bacteria may penetrate the enamel and start to eat away at your dental structure. If a hole erodes into the tooth’s surface, dentists refer to the issue as a cavity.
You will need a dentist to remove the decay and give you a filling to restore the tooth’s health. Fight tooth decay by keeping your teeth strong. This will mean making efforts to avoid gum recession.
Tooth Loss
As mentioned, gum tissue helps to keep your teeth firmly in place in your smile. If the gums recede, the teeth lose this support. They may start to shift out of their straight position or feel loose or wobbly in their socket.
If the gums recede significantly, your teeth may fall out. Tooth loss can lead to serious dental complications. Preserve your dental structure by promoting good gum health.