If you are struggling with receding gums, you are probably wondering whether there is a way to regrow gums naturally. After all, surgical procedures are best avoided, if you can help it.
In severe cases, your receding gums may have gone beyond the point where natural remedies and brushing your teeth differently are going to have much of an impact. In these cases, gum surgery is the only option. But assuming that your case of receding gums is mild to moderate, there may still be time for you to halt the damage done to your gum line by periodontal disease, aggressive brushing or destructive lifestyle habits like excessive smoking.
Can gum tissue really grow back once it has receded?
This is probably not what you were hoping to hear, but the answer is no. Once gum tissue has receded and been lost, it cannot grow back again naturally.
There are plenty of myths and heresy floating around the internet, but according to dental professionals, there is currently no evidence that anything can make gums grow back.
Having said that, if you are struggling with a receding gum line, this does not mean that you have to be a helpless bystander watching as your gums recede more and more. There are, in fact, plenty of natural remedies, supplements and good habits you can implement in order to halt gum recession.
Since you cannot stimulate your gums to grow back once they have receded, here are the things you should focus on instead:
Reduce gum inflammation
Gum inflammation, which is often the result of plaque and bacteria buildup due to poor oral hygiene, can lead to all sorts of gum related problems, including gum disease and gum recession.
In other words, your first port of call if have receding gums and want to prevent the situation from getting any worse, is to reduce gum inflammation by practicing excellent oral hygiene. What this entails is brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes.
The purpose of this regimen is to keep bacteria and plaque from being able to build up in your mouth, which can trigger inflammation, which in turn can trigger receding gums.
Switch to a soft bristled toothbrush
Did you know that aggressive toothbrushing, particularly with a hard bristled brush, can lead to gum recession? Well, now you know.
If you are currently using a hard bristled brush and know that you tend to brush your teeth forcefully, it is time to make the switch to a soft bristled brush and a more gentle brushing technique. Use light, circular motions when brushing your teeth, as opposed to hard, aggressive strokes.
Change your lifestyle habits
Your oral hygiene and how you brush your teeth are not the only habits that can impact a receding gum line for better or for worse.
The most important habit you can change if you are a smoker is to lay off your nicotine habit. Smoking has a negative impact on your health on so many levels, and can also be a contributing factor in gum recession.
It is also important to make sure you are eating right, and getting the nutrition and vitamins you need through your diet. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can impact everything in your body, including your bones, your skin, your digestion, and yes, your gums.
For gums and overall oral health, Vitamin B12 is especially important as people with Vitamin B12 deficiencies are more prone to mouth ulcers, lingual parenthesis, various forms of gum disease and gum recession.
Halt further gum tissue recession
Now that we have addressed the factors and habits that may be contributing to gum tissue recession, it is time for us to go above and beyond playing defence by looking at what you can do to reinforce and strengthen your gums.
If your gums have only receded a little, you may be able to treat and strengthen them effectively, which could save you the pain and financial expense of having to go through gum graft surgery.
If, on the other hand, your gums have already receded enough to leave your tooth roots exposed, natural remedies are not going to be enough to turn the situation around. If your dentist recommends gum tissue surgery, whether a minor keyhole incision procedure, scaling and root planing, or a free flap surgery, we recommend listening to their advice.
Either way, you should be looking at ways of treating receding gums through other means than surgery, since it is changing your underlying habits and gum health that is going to prevent your gums from keeping receding in the future.
Natural remedies for gum recession
The following is a list of the best natural remedies you can use to treat receding gums and foster a better level of oral health.
Oil pulling
Oil pulling is a fantastic way to prevent periodontal disease and receding gums. The steps involved in oil pulling are simple and only require one thing; coconut or sesame oil.
This is how to go about it. Put a spoonful of oil in your mouth, but do not swallow it. Instead, swish it around in your mouth for as long as you can stand it – the optimal length of time is 20 minutes. As you’re swishing the oil around your mouth, it will effectively pull plaque buildup off your teeth. When you spit the oil out after twenty minutes, all of this plaque comes out with it.
Rinse your mouth with plenty of clean tap water, and you’re done!
Eucalyptus essential oil
Eucalyptus oil is a natural germicide, meaning it will kill the bad bacteria in your mouth. Eucalyptus oil is also known for its anti inflammatory properties, which is a great bonus if you are dealing with inflamed or irritated gums.
Peppermint essential oil
Another essential oil you might find helpful is peppermint oil. Peppermint has many qualities to recommend it, and one of them is its ability to prevent the growth of micro-organisms in your mouth.
Tea tree essential oil
Much like peppermint oil, tea tree oil prevents bacteria and micro-organisms from growing in your mouth and creating conditions that are conducive for receding gums.
Thyme essential oil
Yet another useful essential oil is thyme. Not only is thyme an anti-microbial oil like the other essential oils mentioned here, it is also a great oil for healing. Thyme disinfects, supports the immune system and the formation of healthy cells.
Green tea
Green tea is one of nature’s most delectable gifts. Green tea contains many bioactive compounds and antioxidants which make it one of the best natural health supplements there is. In other words, you should be drinking green tea whether you have receding gums or not.
A few of the health benefits of green tea include boosted immunity system, increased metabolism, cardiovascular disease prevention and anti-ageing.
Hydrogen peroxide
If you are dealing with swollen, irritated or receded gums, hydrogen peroxide can help.
You don’t want to use straight-up hydrogen peroxide as it would be too strong. Prepare a 1:1 solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide and lukewarm water. Swish this solution around in your mouth before spitting it out and rinsing thoroughly with water.
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to overall health, including healthy gums. In terms of treating receding gums, Omega-3 has been shown to improve gum to tooth attachment as well as reduce inflammation. In other words, Omega-3 might be the closest you can get to finding a remedy that will make receding gums grow back.
Omega-3 is found in fish as well as in some nuts and seeds, but is also available as a supplement in pill or liquid form from most health food stores.
Septilin
Septilin is a natural remedy consisting of guggul, licorice, and guduchi. It is easy to get your hands on either online or at your local pharmacy or health food store. This remedy is composed of ingredients that help boost the immune system and prevent infections. It is also great for gum health and overall oral health.
Septilin is available in both tablet and syrup form, so choose whichever you prefer.
Turmeric gel
Turmeric gel is a topical ointment which can be applied directly to your gums. Like many of the essential oils we have been looking at in this article, turmeric gel possesses anti-inflammatory properties and has a soothing effect on red, irritated or inflamed gum tissue.
Aloe vera injections
Have you heard of aloe vera injections? Here is a receding gums treatment you definitely should not try to handle yourself at home. If you are interested in trying aloe injections to improve your gum tissue, ask a dental professional about your options.
Aloe vera is known for its disinfecting and anti-inflammatory effects. It is possible to inject aloe vera gel straight into the gum tissue in order to strengthen and improve it.
Takeaway
We have established that there is, unfortunately, nothing you can do to make receding gums grow. This is why you should be focusing on what you can do to better your situation if you have receding gums.
What you can do is two-fold. One, you can stop or change those of your daily habits that may be contributing to the problem. Changing your habits could include switching toothbrushes to a brush with softer bristles, it could involve brushing and flossing your teeth more often, or it could mean kicking your smoking habit for good and making sure you are getting enough Vitamin B12 and other nutrients you need in your diet.
The other half of the equation is to actively treat receding gums with various mouthwashes, beverages and food supplements. Implementing new positive habits such as oil pulling or drinking green tea instead of Earl Grey can all be considered preventative measures, little tweaks you can make to your everyday life in order to prevent receding gums from getting worse and protect your oral and overall health.
Chaining your habits is simple, but it is not always easy to do in praxis. The key is to make the necessary changes bit by bit. For example, there may not be much of a point in trying to quit smoking while also eliminating black tea and five other favorite foods or beverages from your diet all at once. We recommend changing one or two habits at a time and waiting for them to stick before you change something else. The aim is lasting change, not one day of doing everything perfectly.
Finally, we promise you that every ounce of effort you put into treating your gum recession and salvaging your gum line from further deterioration is going to be well worth it. There is no better time or money investment you can make than in your own health and wellbeing.