{"id":13775,"date":"2020-01-20T14:59:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-20T14:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/?p=13775"},"modified":"2026-01-08T19:39:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:39:06","slug":"gum-disease-arlington-heights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/2020\/01\/20\/gum-disease-arlington-heights\/","title":{"rendered":"Receding Gums? Here Are Some Possible Reasons Why\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" src=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/AdobeStock_97836495__1537563846_24884-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of gums \" class=\"wp-image-13776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/AdobeStock_97836495__1537563846_24884-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/AdobeStock_97836495__1537563846_24884-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/AdobeStock_97836495__1537563846_24884.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When you look at your smile in the mirror, does it seem like\nyour teeth have gotten bigger or longer? This optical illusion doesn\u2019t occur\nbecause your enamel grew, but it happened because your gums are shrinking. Yes,\ninstead of longer teeth, you may have receding gums. This problem can occur for\nmultiple reasons, and with the right know-how, you can prevent gum recession\naltogether. Keep reading to learn about the most common reasons for gum\nrecession and what you can do to protect your smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Are Your Gums Receding?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are multiple reasons why your gums may be receding,\nbut the most common is gum disease. Also called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/gum-disease-treatment.html\">periodontal\ndisease<\/a>, this is a problem that occurs as a result of poor oral hygiene.\nWhen plaque and bacteria build up along the gumline, it can lead to gum\ndisease\u2014an infection of the gums. In its earliest stage, gum disease may show\nup in red or sensitive tissue. However, if it persists, it can eventually result\nin gum recession. Left untreated, this problem can lead to symptoms even more\nsevere than receding gums, including permanent tissue damage, bone loss, and\ntooth loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few other common causes of gum recession such\nas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Poor brushing methods:<\/strong> Aggressively\nbrushing with a hard-bristled toothbrush can lead to gum recession and extra\nwear on enamel. <\/li><li><strong>Bruxism:<\/strong> Also known as teeth grinding,\nthis extra pressure on your smile leads to gum recession.<\/li><li><strong>Tongue or lip piercings:<\/strong> While they may\nlook cool, these piercings can irritate the gums, causing them to recede. <\/li><li><strong>Tobacco use:<\/strong> Gum recession can also be\ncaused by smoking and tobacco use. Plus, tobacco makes it harder for your gum\ntissue to heal once damaged. &nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can You Prevent Receding Gums?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, these problems can be completely prevented if\nyou take the right steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Brush properly:<\/strong> Use a soft-bristled\ntoothbrush, massaging your teeth and gums rather than scrubbing them for 2\nminutes each session.<\/li><li><strong>Wear a nightguard:<\/strong> Using a nightguard for\nyour bruxism can protect your teeth from grinding, and therefore minimize your\nrisk of recession. <\/li><li><strong>Gum disease prevention:<\/strong> Practice a good\noral healthcare routine with brushing, flossing, and even using a non-alcoholic\noral rinse. Also, be sure to see your dentist in Arlington Heights at least\ntwice a year. Sometimes, gum disease doesn\u2019t show any signs or symptoms, making\nroutine checkups an incredibly important step for prevention.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know more about what causes gum recession, keep\nthese easy yet helpful tips in mind to prevent this problem altogether!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At Westgate Dental Care, we have a team of 5 experienced\ndentists who have a passion for quality oral health care. They\u2019re open early\nand late, plus they are even available on Saturdays to ensure that busier\npatients can get amazing dentistry. For any questions, they can be reached\nthrough their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/contact.html\">website<\/a>\nor by phone at (847) 577-7171. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you look at your smile in the mirror, does it seem like your teeth have gotten bigger or longer? This optical illusion doesn\u2019t occur because your enamel grew, but it happened because your gums are shrinking. Yes, instead of longer teeth, you may have receding gums. This problem can occur for multiple reasons, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Causes Gum Recession? | Westgate Dental Care<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do your teeth appear longer than normal? 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Learn why you may have gum disease in Arlington Heights and what you can do to prevent it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/AdobeStock_97836495__1537563846_24884.jpg\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/20\\\/gum-disease-arlington-heights\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/2020\\\/01\\\/20\\\/gum-disease-arlington-heights\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"drkics\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.westgatedentalcare.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/004b7f4b5de6b316e65a9ad1361ab344\"},\"headline\":\"Receding Gums? 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