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Receding gums: start here

You noticed a tooth looks longer, or a hygienist said the word recession. Here is what it means, how to look for yourself, and what to do first, in plain words.

What gum recession is

Every tooth has a shiny enamel crown and a root below it. On a healthy tooth the gum covers the line where the two meet. Gum recession means the gum has moved away from that line, so some root shows. Root is slightly yellower and less glossy than enamel, it is not covered by enamel, and that is why exposed root can twinge with cold.

Recession is common in adults and more common with age. It is usually slow and painless, which is why many people only notice it when a tooth starts to look longer or a hygienist mentions it.

How to check your own gum line

1. Brush, then stand at a mirror in daylight or a bright bathroom light.
2. Pull your lower lip down and look at the four lower front teeth. Then the canines, the pointed teeth at the corners. Then the side teeth with your cheek pulled back.
3. On each tooth, find where the shiny crown ends. Is the gum right there, or is there a band of yellower root between them?
4. Look between the teeth, right at the gum. Does the gum fill the gap, or is there a small dark triangle?
5. Take a photo of what you see. It becomes the baseline you compare against.

What is normal

• Gums are pink and firm, and they curve in a scallop around each tooth.
• Some teeth are naturally long, and some gum lines are uneven. Long teeth in matching pairs are usually just your shape.
• Gums do not bleed when you brush gently. Bleeding is common, but it is a sign of inflammation, not something to ignore.

The four verdicts

GumScout uses four verdicts everywhere, on this site and in the app:

• Looks stable: the gum meets the enamel edge and nothing has moved since your baseline. Keep the habit of a photo now and then.
• Keep watching: some root showing, a small triangle or a notch. A photo every four weeks in the same light, and mention it at your next checkup.
• Changing: more root than an earlier photo, in the same place, in photos that line up. Book a dentist in the next few weeks.
• See your dentist: a bump or pus on the gum, swelling with bleeding, a loose tooth, pain, or a change within weeks.

When to see a dentist

See your dentist soon if your gums bleed on their own, there is pus, a pimple or a bump on the gum, a gum is swollen, a tooth feels loose or has moved, there is pain, or a tooth looks longer within weeks. Swelling of the face or jaw with a fever needs care the same day.

Gums do not grow back on their own. When it is time to act, see what to do next.