How to Stop Receding Gums From Getting Worse

By Lovik Mirzaeian, DDS. Updated September 2026.

Gum recession does not reverse on its own. Gum tissue that has pulled away from a tooth will not grow back, so the goal is stopping it going further, and covering the exposed root where it has already gone too far.

The good news is that the two main causes, brushing too hard and gum disease, are both fixable. Most people find out about recession years after it started, so knowing what to look for matters.

How to Tell If Your Gums Are Receding

Teeth that look longer than they used to. A notch or a step you can feel with a fingernail where the crown meets the root. Sensitivity to cold at the gumline specifically. A yellower band near the gum, because root surface is darker than enamel. Teeth that feel slightly loose in advanced cases.

Comparing an old photo to a recent one is often the clearest way to see it, because the change is slow enough that you do not notice it day to day.

What Causes It

Brushing Too Hard

The most common cause, and the most fixable. Hard bristles and heavy pressure abrade the gum margin and the root surface underneath. The giveaway is recession that is worst on the side you brush hardest, often the left side for right handed people, and a bristle-splayed toothbrush.

Gum Disease

Bacteria in plaque and tartar under the gumline cause chronic inflammation that destroys the attachment and the bone beneath it. Gums recede as the bone recedes. This is the version that matters most, because bone loss is what eventually costs teeth. Bleeding is the early warning, and our piece on why gums bleed when you floss covers that stage.

Grinding and Clenching

Heavy forces flex the tooth at the gumline and contribute to both recession and the wedge-shaped notches that appear there. If you also wake with a sore jaw, read our piece on night grinding.

Thin Tissue You Were Born With

Some people have naturally thin gum tissue over prominent roots. It recedes more easily and needs gentler care rather than any failing on your part.

Smoking and Tobacco

Reduces blood flow, masks bleeding, and slows healing. Recession progresses faster and more quietly.

How to Stop It Getting Worse

Change the brush first. Soft bristles only, and hold it like a pen rather than gripping it, which naturally reduces pressure. Angle it forty five degrees to the gumline and use small circles, not a horizontal scrub. If you use an electric brush, rest it against the tooth and let it move.

Floss daily but gently. Curve the floss around each tooth in a C and slide, do not snap it down into the gum.

Treat the gum disease if that is what is driving it. A deep cleaning below the gumline removes the tartar that home care cannot reach, and inflammation settles within weeks. Our gum treatment page covers what that involves.

Deal with grinding with a night guard if that is a factor.

Stop smoking, which changes gum healing more than most people expect.

When a Graft Is Worth It

Where recession has exposed a lot of root, a gum graft covers it using tissue from elsewhere in the mouth or a donor source. It is worth considering when sensitivity is severe, when the recession is still progressing despite everything else, when there is so little attached gum left that the area cannot be kept healthy, or when the appearance bothers you.

It is not always necessary. Stable recession that is not causing symptoms can simply be monitored and measured over time. The American Dental Association takes the same view, that the cause matters more than the millimetres.

How Recession Is Measured

A dentist measures from the cemento-enamel junction, which is the natural line where the crown of the tooth meets the root, down to where the gum sits now. That number in millimetres is recorded per tooth, alongside the pocket depth.

The combination matters more than either figure alone. Two millimetres of recession with shallow pockets and no bleeding is usually toothbrush abrasion, and it responds to changing technique. Two millimetres of recession with five millimetre pockets and bleeding is gum disease, and it needs treating.

This is also why one appointment cannot tell you everything. A single set of measurements is a snapshot. Comparing them a year later is what shows whether things are stable or moving, and stable recession usually needs nothing more than watching.

What Makes It Worse Without You Noticing

Whitening strips used aggressively irritate the gum margin. Tongue and lip piercings rub against gum tissue and cause localised recession that can be severe. Aggressive use of a wooden toothpick pushes tissue back. Untreated grinding keeps loading the same spots. None of these announce themselves, which is why the measurements are worth having.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can receding gums grow back?

Gum tissue does not regenerate on its own once it has pulled away. What can be done is stopping it going further, and covering the exposed root with a graft where the recession is significant. So the honest answer is that it can be repaired but not reversed by anything you do at home.

What causes gums to recede?

Brushing too hard with a hard brush is the most common cause, followed by gum disease. Grinding, thin gum tissue you inherited, and crowded teeth all contribute. Most people with recession are surprised to learn their brushing technique is doing it.

Is receding gums serious?

It depends on the cause and the rate. Recession from over-brushing is mostly a sensitivity and appearance issue. Recession from gum disease comes with bone loss underneath, and that is what eventually loosens teeth. The two look similar from the outside, which is why it needs checking.

Does an electric toothbrush help or hurt receding gums?

It helps, if you let it do the work. Most electric brushes have a pressure sensor that stops you pressing too hard, which removes the main cause. The mistake is gripping it and scrubbing with it as though it were a manual brush.

Worried Your Gums Are Pulling Back? Let Us Measure It

Recession is measured, not guessed at, and comparing measurements over time tells us whether it is stable or moving. If it is moving, the cause is almost always identifiable and stoppable. Contact us to set up a consultation and we will give you a baseline to work from.

Lovik Mirzaeian, DDS has achieved extensive training in multidisciplinary dental treatments. His credentials include Dental Implants, Cosmetic Dentistry, Full Mouth Reconstruction, Endodontics, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, and Sleep Sedation. Our office puts your comfort and smile first, and we are dedicated to giving you top-notch dental care. Get ready to show off your perfect smile!

Looking for a trusted family dentist in Clovis? Dr. Mirzaeian welcomes new patients of all ages.