Receding Gums, root canal?

Hello,

I have a receding gum that is starting to hurt a little, not bad yet but is constantly there. Does anyone know how these are treated, as I know there is nothing that can be done about the gum itself and wondered if a root canal was the only solution? I am TTC and am worried about what treatment I could get if pg.

Thanks for any advice.

You can see your dentist - who will do x-rays and a periodontic examination and will most likely refer you to a periodontist.

It is likely that you are suffering from periodontitis, which is severe gum deterioration. It usually starts as gingivitis that is left untreated, and at its most severe can cause both gum and bone receding. It can be rectified to a certain extent (or at least improved upon and the progress of the deterioration halted) depending upon the severity, and maintenance of good dental hygiene practices (especially flossing) can help.

The treatment involves regular periodontic cleaning (like a scale and clean but much more intensive - the first treatments are usually done under a full local, as they can be painful due to the condition of the gums, subsequent maintenance treatments are not required to be done under anaesthetic). In extremely severe cases gum remodelling takes place (to reduce the 'pockets', or gaps between the and gums where bacterial growth is promoted), and in the worst cases the tooth may require removal (as bone receding causes looseness).

A root canal is not usually performed in relation to gum disease.

If you are TTC you should seek treatment ASAP, and preferably before falling pregnant, as gingivitis/gum disease is more prevalent during pregnancy and any existing condition may be exacerbated. However, treatment can still take place during pregnancy (I had maintenance treatments during pregnancy).

HTH!

Thanks Suse for your detailed reply. I know I don't have gum disease as my dentist has been keeping an eye on this during my check-ups, it seems to be more of a 'genetic' issue, where the gums are naturally more receding in some areas of my mouth. I am a good flosser :D but it seems to be happening (receding) anyway. I will see my dentist soon, but am nervous about what they can do about it, esp when ttc. Thanks again.

Berry, I would recommend that your see a periodontist, especially as you have good oral hygiene habits. Receding gums can be quite serious, and it's important to stop them in their tracks if at all possible. A periodontist is the best person to do this for you. You will be fine to have treatment while pg, but as Suse said, it's best to get this under control beforehand, as pg hormones can exacerbate the situation. You can't grow the gums back, but hopefully you can stop it from getting worse. If things really deteriorate sometimes gingival grafting can be done, but that is a last resort measure.

Root canal treatment is undertaken when the nerve in a tooth is dead or dying. It's not related to gum disease, and I can't think of any situation where one would have root canal treatment because of receding gums! In fact, if the situation with the tooth (gum-wise) is not looking healthy, one would be reluctant to undertake RCT (in the case of a dead nerve) in case the periodontal disease deteriorates further.

You will need a referral to see a periodontist, so you will have to see your dentist first to obtain that. In the meantime, if you are not already, try using some sensitive toothpaste (ie. sensodyne, or colgate sensitive) and see if that helps a little. One thing your general dentist can do is apply some desensitising solution to the sensitive area, that be effective for some months.

I HTHs, please sing out if you have any further questions.

Thanks Janie. I wasn't aware that there was treatment that could prevent the receding gum from getting worse, and I have asked my dentist about this before. I will definetly get a referal then. Thanks for that.

I have sensitive teeth near the gums and had my first root canal the other day.. wasnt bad at all.. And i have 3 more to go.. i had braces for 3 years.. so this was hafl my trouble!.

My dentist has said before that gum recession is a natural thing too (obviously not severe recession tho)... hence the saying 'getting long in the tooth'. I'm sure if it was recession being caused by something else your dentist would have picked up on it. You could always get a second opinion tho I guess :)

If it is just sensitive.. sensodyne could help (recommended by my dentist). If it's hurting just on its own tho, I'd see the dentist again.

You're right Liz, gingival recession is something that gets worse with age, although some people are more prone than others of course. For most people, using a sensitive toothpaste will be enough to help with sensitivity associated with receding gums.

Good luck with your RCT Didi! Do you mean that you are having it done on 3 more teeth? Or three more visits to have it completed on one tooth? I hope it's the latter :lol: for your sake. Just to clarify (don't want anyone to be freaked out), orthodontics done well doesn't cause teeth to die (and then need RCT). However, three years is a long time to have braces on!! I hope your teeth look beautiful now, and it was all worth it :D

How did you go Berry? Did you end up seeing a perio?

Thanks Suse for your detailed reply.My dentist has said before that gum recession is a natural thing.I wasn't aware that there was treatment that could prevent the receding gum from getting worse