Are There Any Medications Used to Treat Receding Gums?

Receding gums leave the teeth roots vulnerable to the harmful elements that reside in or pass through your mouth. Medication can help limit the damage caused by gum infections, slowing down gum recession.

Unlike the visible section of the teeth, your tooth roots lack an enamel layer. Their protection from acids in the mouth comes from gum tissues that extend to the base of the crown. The absence of gum tissue around the tooth roots can cause oral health issues like loose teeth, infection, and tooth sensitivity. receding gums also leave the teeth roots vulnerable to injury.

Correcting receding gums requires a custom treatment plan that may involve surgical and non-surgical interventions. Medication can play a part in the treatment of gum recession.

Treatment options for receding gums

The gums can pull away from the base of the teeth for several reasons. Age can cause gum recession that leaves the teeth looking longer, hence the phrase, "long in the tooth." Ill-fitting dentures and orthodontic appliances can also push the gum tissues away from the base of the teeth. This is a form of injury that changes the shape of a gum line over time.

Lastly, there is gum disease, an infection that causes a degeneration of gum tissue that leads to receding gums. Dentists start the treatment of gum disease by tackling infection. They will start by removing plaque and tartar from the crowns and the roots, deep inside the gum pockets. Severe cases of gum disease may require the removal of infected gum tissue. The dentist might then deal with gum recession in the following ways.

1. Antibiotics can arrest the progression of receding gums

Dentists often add antibiotics to the treatment plans of patients who suffer from gum disease. First, the dentist performs a deep clean to remove plaque and tartar. This procedure goes by the name of scaling and root planing.

Dentists perform this non-invasive process with the use of a hand-held scraper or an ultrasonic scaling tool. Once the dentist removes all the plaque and tartar, they will apply a slow-release antibacterial gel into the gum pockets. Lastly, they will close the deep gum pockets by re-attaching the gums to the tooth roots. The dentist might also prescribe oral or topical antibiotics to help control the infection.

2. Platelet-rich plasma can stimulate gum regeneration

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) stimulates the healing and regeneration of damaged tissue. It can also correct gum recession that results from different causes. A dentist can use PRP as part of a larger treatment plan that includes one of the following procedures:

• Gum flap surgery
• Pinhole gum surgery
• Gum grafts

Dentists may complement these procedures with PRP therapy to speed up the healing and regrowth process. They may also apply PRP as a standalone treatment, an option for patients who cannot undergo a minor surgical procedure.