Gum recession? Help!

I'm twenty years old and have gum recession already.  :(  my dentists hasn't been all that great and it took him til a year ago to tell that i was clenching my teeth at night.  now that i've been looking for it i can tell that i clench my teeth at night for sure but i also notice a touch of bad breath with that.  not unbearable but about an hour or two after i brush my teeth it starts and i usually just chew some gum.(sugarfree of course).  could there be any thing else contributing to the recession.  my gums are a little red but don't bleed even when i floss hard and don't bleed when i brush.  i have an NTI device to stop the clenching and i just visited my dentist a few days ago and he said that it was mostly due to the clenching but they seem to be getting worse.  help please!!

[love1221]

Do you smoke?  I know that clenching could cause bone recession but not gum recession.  Are the teeth getting loose?  Look up gingivitis or gum recession on google and see if you can come up with any remedies.

[thissucks66]

no never smoked in my life or done any other tobacco product!  i've looked it up a few times and found several areas indicating that clenching CAN cause gum recession if it's serious and my dentist seems to be positive but i'm beginning to think that he's not worth a darn.  they were beginning to get loose until i got that guard and now they're tightening up.  

[pertykitty]

recession can also be caused by using a toothbrush that isnt soft, brushing too hard, hereditary.  if your gums are red though that would seem to indicate another problem.  do you have regular 6 month cleanings? do you brush daily and floss?  bad breath can be an idicator to other health problems not just oral.  do you have acid reflux? that can be devestating on oral hygiene when the acid is always in the mouth.

[thissucks66]

i brush after every meal with a soft toothbrush and floss once and sometimes twice a day.  i just went to my dentist a few days ago and usually go every 6 months(sometimes it can be longer like 7-8 months)  i don't know if i have acid reflux but my father does and is on medication for it.  

i also noticed that my gums aren't smooth.  like they have little tiny dents or scratches on them.  what could this be.  i try to brush extra easy but i do use an electric brush with somewhat stiff bristles.(only been using this for about a month so i know it's not the cause)

[thissucks66]

anybody???

[Killerpain]

Is the recession giving you pain?  If you can find a dentist with a lazer, they can do gum desensitization.

[Ania778]

You should get a decent electric toothbrush like a sonicare and concentrate on your gum line (youre supposed to brush teeth at an angle to the gum so that you massage gums).  It's really important to concentrate on the gum line when brushing.   Massaging the gums makes them regenerate a bit (but don't do it too hard or they might get sore and bleed).  A sonicare has soft bristles.  I'm not sure what kind of electric brush you use.  The ones with the round heads can be useless for gums.   Do you get enough vitamin C?  What's your diet like - do you eat fruit and veg?   If you have a mouth guard which you wear at night then that is all you can do about the clenching.   If you have a hard mouth guard then get a soft one as hard ones can make your jaw hurt.   Not sure if you drink but I don't personally think alcohol helps your gums much.   Not sure if chewing gum is good if you have had clenching problems.  I used to chew gum a lot but I noticed that I used to get a pain in one of my roots when I did this and it stopped when I stopped the gum.  Try to stop yourself clenching in the day time and try to relax a bit because clenching is usually due to stress.

[thissucks66]

thanks for the replies. do ya'll think i could have a gum disease?  i'll do the toothbrush deal for sure.  i do drink some, sometimes once a week and sometimes once every 6 months.  i don't eat that many fruits but salad is one of my favorite foods.  would taking vitamin C help?  thanks so much!  i can't stand for these things to get any worse.  would visiting a periodontist help?  thanks!

p.s.-nope no pain just cosmetic and i know it can't be good for my roots to be exposed. :(

[OneScaredBuckeye]

Make sure you brush your gums, not just your teeth, but your gums and tongue as well, with a soft toothbrush.  And ask your dentist for a medicated mouthrinse you can use after brushing and flossing morning and evening.  I have Perio-Med, but if your dentist won't prescribe it or give it to you, Listerine is better than nothing.  Deep cleanings also help a lot.  The cleanings where they anesthetize your gums and clean under them, getting all the bacteria out.  This has to be done three, maybe four times a year, but it can really prevent gum disease and gum recission.  It's expensive, but well worth it.  You could very well have gum disease, but it's preventable in most cases and treatable.  If it gets too out of hand, you might have to have a periodontist clean out the infected area and fill it in with porcelain to save your teeth, but the deep cleanings should prevent you from needing that.  I agree with the poster who said massaging the gum line, morning and night, is very important.  Do it gently, but do it.  Good luck.

[lpm2007]

Are you taking medication for any conditions you might have?  My brother found out just recently that the beta blockers he's been taking for mitral valve prolapse do cause the gums to recede over time.  So it could be a side-effect from medication.  Just a thought.

[xbrazilnutx]

I am also 20 years old. I am a male, very healthy, do not smoke/drink/do illegal drugs of any kind. Recently I've also been noticing significant recession.

They told me the usual. Soft brushes/clenching/tooth paste but I'm pretty sure it's none of that.

I've had braces before and stopped wearing my retainers recently. Maybe that has something to do with it? Or then again maybe it's some medication like Ipm2007 said. Or maybe some food I am eating?

Please help!! I do not know what to do, my gums keep receding and also I'm beginning to feel a lot of pain!!

My dentist sucks. I've been there twice. Last time I went he told me the same thing he told me the first time. Brush softer. I AM!! Also now I'm noticing some cloudy white spots all over my gums... Do I have some kind of disease?

[anotheropinion]

At some point go to a periodontist to evaluate your gums...if you do NOT bleed when you brush and floss, then you do NOT have gum disease.  If you only have bad breath some of the time, you do NOT have gum disease.  If you have exposed roots and pain and sensitivity, some is due to the clenching, and some due to the gum recession.  Buy Sensodyne or Crest Sensitive and use RELIGIOUSLY.  Wear your mouth guard religiuosly. That will mitigate any further damage, gum loss and pain.  It's that simple.

[ballroomgrl]

I am having the same problem-I have already had 4 rounds of gum grafts :/ no fun