If your gums are receding, you aren’t alone — nearly half the U.S. population is dealing with some degree of gum recession.[ 1 ] Gum tissue doesn’t have the ability to grow back once it has receded,[ 2 ] so even though this is a widespread problem, that doesn’t mean you should let it get out of hand before finding a solution.
There are so many factors that can contribute to gum recession, and in this guide, we will explore which of those conditions can be helped by getting braces. We hope you leave this guide with a better sense of whether or not your smile (and gums!) could benefit from treatment with braces.
Table of Contents
Symptoms of Gum Recession
Gum recession doesn’t always begin as a noticeably painful process. The recession itself happens very gradually, which means that a lot of people are unaware that there is a problem with their gums until their dentist tells them. It is critical to maintain regular dental appointments so this can be caught in the early stages when the most options are available to you.
The symptoms of gum recession can run the gamut. But if left untreated, things can become more severe. If left untreated, gum recession can have numerous causes ranging from more superficial concerns, like a toothy smile, to more serious health concerns, like bone loss.
The gums can continue to recede and expose your tooth’s roots, leading to serious complications like periodontal (gum) disease and/or potential tooth loss. Certain cases may benefit from a gum graft or surgery. It’s important to address gum recession as soon as possible — before it becomes worse.
Causes of Gum Recession
There are many different reasons why gums recede.[ 3 ] Some of these reasons are related to our habits and stopping them is within our control — like smoking, or brushing too hard — whereas other causes of gum recession are totally out of our control, like our genetics.
Physical strain can also cause gums to recede. This strain can emerge when there is overuse of a few specific teeth due to misalignment, crooked teeth, or clenching and grinding your teeth.
Bacteria also play a major role in gum recession. When bacteria have the chance to flourish in your mouth, particularly at your gum line, this can cause your gums to begin to recede. The bacteria can also start to grow below the gumline in what are called periodontal pockets.
It’s much harder to get this kind of bacteria out since it’s underneath your gums instead of on the surface of the teeth, so it’s important to stay on top of your oral hygiene so it doesn’t get to that point.
Can Braces Fix Gum Recession?
In short? No, braces can’t fix recession that has already started. We often think of teeth straightening as a cosmetic procedure, but it can have real health benefits as well. Treatment with braces is able to help prevent further gum recession that is due to certain causes,[ 4 ] so it’s all about determining what is causing your gums to recede in the first place.
Which Causes of Gum Recession Can Braces Treat?
Misalignment
Misalignment can contribute to gum recession in a few ways. A misaligned bite can put disproportionate stress on a few teeth and areas of your jaw, which can cause the gums surrounding those teeth to recede. Some people with misalignment are actually predisposed to gum recession. When teeth sit in the jaw at a certain angle, this can sometimes indicate the surrounding gums are thin — which can lead to recession.
Braces can realign your smile so that all of your teeth work together. Even the most severe cases of misalignment can be helped by braces. Getting your jaw into proper alignment will help balance your bite so that the burden of chewing doesn’t just fall on a few teeth. Once your bite is aligned, there will be less stress on those teeth and you’ll likely see an end to your gum recession.
Sometimes misaligned teeth can make your gum height disproportionate. When braces correct misalignments, it evens out the gums. However, if you have recession from trauma or brushing too aggressively, braces might not correct it, and you might need a small gum surgery instead.
Crooked Teeth
Crooked teeth present many challenges to maintaining good oral hygiene. The main problem with crooked teeth is their ability to hide bacteria from even the most capable tooth brushers and flossers. It’s simply much harder to get bacteria out from between very crooked teeth.
As we know, bacteria are often the root cause of gum recession, so eliminating all of the nooks and crannies for bacteria to hide could help halt your gum loss. Braces gradually get rid of those hard-to-reach places that could be aiding the bacteria on your teeth and gums.
Bruxism
Bruxism is just a fancy word for clenching or grinding your teeth together. This can be done consciously or unconsciously (many people grind their teeth in their sleep without realizing it).
When your bite is misaligned and too much pressure is put on just a few teeth, symptoms of bruxism are made even more extreme. Your braces treatment is likely to make the severity of your bruxism less severe.
After you finish orthodontic treatment, you’ll have to wear an overnight or fixed retainer for life, which can provide the same relief from bruxism as a night guard can. This can help if your bruxism is occurring during your sleep.
Which Causes of Gum Recession Can’t Braces Treat?
Genetics
Though time-tested and powerful, braces are not yet capable of changing your genetic makeup.[ 5 ] People vary in the thickness of their gums — so if you are predisposed to have thinner gums, it’s possible that yours may still recede some even if your oral hygiene is flawless. Be sure to check with your dentist or orthodontist about what the best path forward for you may be if genetics are the cause of your gum recession.
Brushing Too Hard
Braces can’t force you to change your toothbrushing intensity, but with a few small alterations, you’ll be able to fix this all on your own. Brushing too hard is one of the simplest causes of gum recession to fix. Most people don’t even realize how hard they are brushing their teeth, so try to be mindful.
Try holding your toothbrush with just three fingers – your thumb, index, and middle. This is all the pressure you need to properly brush your teeth. Make sure you have a soft-bristled brush. Check in with your dentist to see if they have any tips on how to take a gentler approach to your oral hygiene.
Smoking
Braces cannot help fix the gum recession you experience as a result of smoking. The good news is that you can fix that on your own by quitting — that way you can avoid further gum recession, as well as all of the other health problems that smoking can cause.
How Else Can I Stop/Slow Down Gum Recession?
Nutrition
We all know that sugar is the enemy of healthy teeth. Eating a whole-foods and plant-based diet and avoiding processed or sugary items will help to keep the bacteria in your mouth balanced — making it less likely to get underneath your gums and create periodontal pockets.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is the best way to keep your teeth out of harm’s way. Brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and visit your dentist twice a year.
Maintaining good oral hygiene is important for everyone, but especially if you decide to get braces. Since the brackets are affixed to your teeth, you must take extra care to keep your mouth in good health. You’ll need to learn to floss in a new way to accommodate the wires, and you may need to take special steps with brushing, too. If you have trouble with home care, your dentist may recommend more than two cleanings while you have braces.
Mental Health
Our mental health has a tendency to affect our physical health as well.[ 6 ] Stress can take any number of physical forms, including clenching our jaws or grinding our teeth. This can even happen entirely unconsciously, like while we are asleep — which, over time, can lead to gum recession.
Taking care of your mental health as much as possible can help stop some of these problems from growing into larger ones. Small tweaks like keeping a journal or going for a walk can have major effects on your outlook and mental health, which could translate to a reduction in stress on our physical health, too.
Final Thoughts
Gum recession happens to many people, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to stop it. Depending on the cause of your receding gums, it is likely you’ll have options available to you to prevent your problem from getting worse.
Be sure to check in with your dentist or orthodontist about which method may be best for you and your unique smile. If a misaligned smile, crooked teeth, or bruxism is what’s causing your gums to recede, then braces could be a great path forward for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my gums grow back after receding?
Unfortunately, gum tissue can’t grow back after receding, so it’s important to catch this in its early stages before it gets worse.
I don’t have dental insurance; is there a low-cost option for dental visits?
Yes! Check in your area to see if there are dental schools offering free or discounted teeth cleanings. This way, you can stay on top of your oral hygiene even if you’re on a budget.
What is the best defense against gum recession?
The best defense you have against gum recession is good oral hygiene. Brush twice a day, floss daily, and see a dentist twice a year.
Is gum recession rare?
It is not! Nearly half of American adults have receding gums. So if you do, you aren’t alone! Lots of people are working through the same oral health problem as you.
Which is better at treating receding gums: braces or clear aligners?
Though both braces and clear aligners are able to treat most of the same causes of gum recession, clear aligners are a slightly better option in our opinion since maintaining good oral hygiene is simpler than it is with braces.
How do I know if my gums are receding?
It can be hard to see this yourself since the recession can be so gradual, so catching gum recession early typically means twice-yearly trips to the dentist. However, if a tooth appears darker near the gums or feels more sensitive, those could be indicators.
Can I wear a night guard with braces?
It won’t make sense for you to get a custom-made night guard during braces treatment since your smile will be changing week to week. However, there are one-size-fits-all night guard options that may be a good route for you during your treatment. Talk to your dentist or orthodontist about which choice they think is best for you.
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