While most people are more concerned with the state of their teeth than that of their gums, the fact of the matter is that receeding gum line is a real oral health concern.  In addition to being unsightly, receeding gums can contribute to a host of oral health problems such as tooth sensitivity, exposure of the roots of the teeth and even cavities below the gum line.  There are numerous factors that are known to contribute to the development of receeding gums; some of which are within your control and others that may not be.

One of the most common causes of receeding gums is probably overzealous brushing.  While it is important to keep the mouth clean, including the teeth, gums, and tongue, brushing too hard can actually remove the enamel from your gum line over time.  This causes gums to recede.  On the other end of the spectrum is under brushing your teeth or not flossing regularly.  Either of these practices can cause numerous oral health problems.  Not the least of which being the buildup of bacteria and enzymes between the teeth, which also result in gums receeding.  In extreme cases, the bone is actually eaten away from the tooth by the bacterial enzymes.

Another common contributing factor to receeding gums is tobacco, either smoked or chewed. Chewing tobacco generally contributes to gums receeding as the result of direct exposure to the chewing tobacco (often over the course of a relatively short period of time); smoking cigarettes will often cause gums to recede throughout the entire mouth over a longer period of time.  Of course, receeding gums are not the most obvious dental health issue that results from smoking; it can be the one with the most severe, long-term effects. 

Finally, oral piercings can have a serious impact on the health of your teeth and gums.  While many people do not consider the impact the tongue or lip piercings may have on their gums, the fact of the matter is that such piercings can cause serious damage.  Of course, it is not the piercings themselves that really wreck havoc on the health of your gums, it is actually the jewelry.  Metal exposure is notoriously bad for your teeth and the tissue of your mouth and gums.  Add to that the fact that many people with oral piercings tend to habitually run them along the inside of their mouth or along their gums, and you have a real problem.   One way to reduce the instance of receeding gum line and other oral damage as the result of oral piercings is to use plastic jewelry rather than metal

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