What is the best toothpaste for receding gums?
Gum recession or retracted gums is one of the most common oral health problems these days. This gum disease is often underestimated because the symptoms are not that noticeable at first. People only start to act on it when a good amount of damage has been done.
Since receding gums happen in a slow and gradual manner, we can’t blame anyone for acting right away. But no doubt receding gums can lead to more serious dental issues such as dental mobility, dental sensitivity, and teeth loss.
Thankfully, there is a way to prevent this from happening to you in the long run. There are toothpaste brands that have created a formula to prevent and fight receding gums and of course, give you fresh breath.
In this article, we give you a list of the best toothpastes for receding gums so you can choose which one is best for your needs.
What are receding gums?
Receding gums is a condition where your gums are pulled back from the surface of your tooth, exposing the root of your tooth. When the root of your tooth is exposed, your tooth becomes more sensitive and vulnerable to cavities.
Gum recession can be mild, moderate, or severe. It can affect only one tooth or multiple teeth. It is considered one form of periodontal or gum disease.
When you have receding gums, pockets or gaps form between your gum line and your teeth. This will make it easy for disease-causing bacteria to build up. If you do not treat that right away, the supporting bone structures of your teeth and your supporting gum tissues can be damaged severely. This will eventually lead to tooth loss.
This gum disease can not be reversed but there are ways to prevent it from getting worse. The earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better the outcome can be.
What causes receding gums?
Receding gums is a gum disease that can happen to anyone and it can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Here are some of the common reasons why gum recession happens.
Periodontal diseases
Periodontal diseases are bacterial gum infections or gum disease that destroy the supporting bone and supporting gum tissues that hold your teeth in place. Gum disease has been found to be the primary cause of gum recession in most cases.
Genes
You can be more susceptible to gum disease because it is hereditary. When this is the case, you are bound to have receding gums no matter how well you take care of your oral health.
But this does not mean you should give up. Using the best toothpaste for receding gums can help delay the inevitable.
Aggressive tooth brushing
If you brush your teeth with whitening toothpaste too hard or you brush them the wrong way, the enamel on your teeth will wear out. The lack of tooth enamel will cause sensitive teeth. When this happens, your gums can easily recede.
Teeth grinding and clenching
You may think that grinding and clenching your teeth is a harmless habit but it actually does damage to your teeth.
Insufficient dental care
When you do not practice good oral hygiene, the plaque build up on your teeth can easily turn into tartar, a hard substance that builds on and between your teeth. the more tartar you have, the more chances you get to have receding gums. You can only get rid of tartar through professional dental cleaning.
Having crooked teeth or a misaligned bite
If you have uneven teeth or a misaligned bite, this could mean that some parts of your gums and bone would be having too much force on them. This will also push the gums to recede.
Tobacco
Smokers and tobacco chewers are more likely to accumulate plaque on their teeth. When not dealt with immediately, it can be a contributing factor to gum recession.
Lip or tongue piercing
Think twice before getting your lip or tongue pierced. You may think it looks cool but the jewelry can rub your gums and irritate them. When this happens, your gum tissue can be worn away and you will end up with receding gums.
Hormonal changes
For women, hormonal changes can play a role in gum recession. The hormone levels of females fluctuate several times such as during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. These hormonal fluctuations can sometimes cause gum sensitivity, which makes you more vulnerable to gum recession.
The best toothpaste brands for receding gums
Sensodyne
Sensodyne is a well-known toothpaste brand. Although it is better known to deal with sensitive teeth, its formula is one of the best when it comes to dealing with receding and sensitive gums.
Sensodyne helps get rid of gum and tooth sensitivity and eventually improve health of your gums. Aside from that, its formula is also good for gum pain, bleeding gums, and swelling gums.
The formula is rich in fluoride, which provides a protective layer to the gum and the tooth barrier. Aside from dealing with tooth sensitivity, it also strengthens your teeth and allows them to remain fixed so they do not loosen up.
Sensodyne’s formula contains active minerals that can remove dental plaque lodged between your teeth. This helps deal with bad breath and helps you maintain healthy teeth.
Sensodyne’s formula is gentle enough for you to use every day. It is recommended that you use Sensodyne twice a day.
Homeodent
Homeodent is a toothpaste that is good for treating painful and receding gums. It is known to be effective when it comes to taking care of sensitive and fragile gums.
Homeodent is known for its chlorophyll-based aroma so you can really tell that it has a strong formula. The formula also has two types of fluorine – sodium fluoride and monofluorophosphate. These fluorines are a good combination to fight and reduce bacteria in your mouth.
It is recommended that you use Homeodent three times a day. When you are brushing your teeth, make sure that it is in your mouth for at least three minutes for lasting effects.
Parogencyl
Parogencyl is a toothpaste brand known for fighting against oral infections. It has a lot of antiseptic in its special formula, which helps prevent bacteria from accumulating in your teeth and your whole mouth. Without bacteria, you can be assured of having fresh breath all the time.
As for how it can help your gums, Parogencyl is able to preserve your gum tissues for a long time. Because of this, dental plaque will not be able to form on your teeth. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that will help deal with gingivitis and bleeding gums.
To use this toothpaste, brush your teeth with it two to three times a day after every meal. Make sure that you are using a soft toothbrush when brushing your teeth.
Meridol
Meridol is a toothpaste specially formulated to help treat periodontal disease. Meridol also does wonders against cavities and gum bleeding.
It removes and reduces plaque and prevents the plaque from forming again for a long time. This is possible because it has two fluorides in its formula, namely tin and amine fluorides. Together, they act as an effective tool against dental plaque.
It is recommended that you use the Meridol toothpaste at least twice a day. Take note that you only need to use a pea-sized amount when you brush your teeth.
Corsodyl
Corsodyl is a well-known toothpaste brand for people who have bleeding gums. Corsodyl also happens to work well for receding gums. Most of the products from Corsodyl are specially formulated to prevent gum disease.
The active ingredient in Corsodyl’s formula is chlorhexidine. This ingredient works as a super antiseptic in your mouth. This can help deal with a variety of dental issues such as receding gums, oral thrush, deep clean wisdom teeth, gum disease, and mouth ulcers.
To use Corsodyl toothpaste, brush your teeth at least twice but not more than three times a day. Brush the toothpaste on your teeth for two minutes.
The best toothpaste ingredients for receding gums
Are you not sure yet which toothpaste brand will work for you? This guide will give you the main factors that you should consider when choosing the best toothpaste for receding gums.
Flouride
Flouride plays an important role when it comes to boosting the strength of your teeth and improving gum health. It is also essential as a protective barrier against cavities. Flouride is also a shield for the enamel on your teeth.
For receding gums, your toothpaste must have a good amount of fluoride in the formula. An amount of 5000 ppm is recommended for adults. This dosage is considered to be good enough to eliminate bacteria that cause your gums to inflame and recede. Take note that a dosage higher than 1500 ppm is already considered medical grade.
Most whitening toothpaste brand has fluoride in them. But you should keep an eye out for a fluoride toothpaste that also fights gum disease, targets gum health, or other benefits too. The best toothpaste will always be one that has multiple functions for your oral health.
Potassium nitrate
A good toothpaste for receding gums should have a generous dose of potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate protects the gums against hypersensitivity by targeting the nerves.
Potassium nitrate is also good for dentin in the long term. This will make your teeth resistant and will accelerate the effectiveness of your toothpaste’s formula. Because of this ingredient, results will be noticeable in just a few weeks of regular brushing.
Tubule-blocking agent
If you have receding gums, this means your tubules are at risk. Tubules are the microscopic pores in the gums. The right toothpaste will desensitize the tubules and close them. It is also a great ingredient for sensitive teeth.
To know for sure, keep an eye out for ingredients like strontium acetate, strontium chloride, sodium, arginine, and calcium carbonate.
Toothpaste ingredients to avoid when you have receding gums
Triclosan
Triclosan was once recognized to be an effective treatment for receding gums. However, it was discovered later on that it is a health hazard in the long run.
Paraben
Components of the paraben family can cause irritation to your gums. It can also damage your enamel if used for a long time.
Can gum recession be prevented?
There are situations where receding gums can not be prevented – like when you are genetically predisposed to have thin gum tissues or your family is vulnerable to gum disease.
But you can significantly reduce the risk by using the right toothpaste, get a thorough cleaning from a dental professional, and practicing good oral hygiene and proper gum care. Here are some things that you can do if you do not want to have receding gums.
- Brush your teeth properly at least twice a day.
- Floss at least once a day.
- Use an antimicrobial mouthwash at least twice a day.
- Do professional teeth cleanings as often as your dentist recommended (some people can get them twice a year while others may need more.)
- Only use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
- Do not smoke or chew tobacco.
How can I tell if my gums are receding?
If you notice the following symptoms, there is a huge chance that you
have receding gums:
- You feel sharp pain, a burning sensation, or discomfort near your gum line.
- Your teeth appear to be longer.
- You notice that the spaces between your teeth are growing wider.
- You feel sensitivity at the roots of your teeth.
- You have trouble eating hot or cold foods.
- The root of your teeth becomes visible and they do not have the same color as your dental enamel.
- Your gums bleed every time you brush or floss your teeth.
- You feel like your tooth is loosening up.
- You have bad breath or a strong taste left in your mouth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is recession a common gum health problem?
Receding gums is a common dental problem. And most people do not act on it immediately because they never notice it until it is too late. Receding gums can happen to anyone but 88% of cases happen to people over the age of 65 as an effect of aging.
Can whitening toothpaste repair receded gums?
Unfortunately, even the best whitening toothpastes for receding gums can not bring your gums back. It is impossible for you to grow your gums back naturally.
What the toothpaste can do is prevent further gum recession, manage the sensitivity you get from receding gums, make sure your teeth and mouth is clean, and that you have fresh breath. This is why it is so important to act on receding gums as soon as possible.
How can I rebuild receding gums?
Gums can’t grow back on their own but you can do surgical treatment to replace your gums. You can get a gum graft, which is a traditional method of treating moderate to severe gum recession.
This means donor tissue will be gathered from another area of your mouth and that tissue will be transplanted into the receding area and it will be enough to cover up the exposed roots of your teeth.
If you only have mild gum recession, the dentist may try nonsurgical treatments such as dental bonding or topical antibiotics.
How can I reduce the sensitivity caused by gum disease or recession?
Sensitivity happens because the roots of your tooth are not covered with enamel – they are covered with cementum, which is weaker than enamel. But there are things you can do to get sensitivity relief.
You can use a desensitizing toothpaste at home. Your dentist can also use fluoride varnish or other desensitizing agents to help reduce the pain and discomfort you may feel.
Conclusion
Gum recession is a common dental issue. Most people do not know they already have it because it is a slow and gradual process. If you think you are at risk of ending up with receding gums, it is best to prevent it from doing more damage by using specially formulated toothpaste for gum recession.
The best toothpastes that are made with a special formulation to deal with dental issues such as receding gums come with a higher-than-usual price tag. This is why you must be sure of the toothpaste brand before you make your purchase.
As you can see, there is more to toothpastes. They can give you fresh breath, strengthen teeth, relieve sensitivity, gives a protective layer on your tooth surface, helps in removing plaque, and remove calculus. The key to choosing the best toothpaste for you is to pay attention to their active ingredients.
Of course, the best toothpastes will not work if you do not have good brushing skills or you do not do it regularly. Proper oral hygiene practices and regular dentist visits is key in making sure you have healthy gums, teeth, and mouth.
Remember, receding gums is something that you should not ignore. If you think your case is way beyond what toothpaste can handle, make an appointment with your dentist.