What recession feels like (and what it is not)

Patients often describe a sharp zing at the gumline, a tooth that looks longer in photos, or a notch that catches floss. Bleeding, redness, or bad breath that will not clear can travel with it when gum disease is involved.

It is not usually from one hard flossing session, and it is not something toothpaste alone will reverse. Frank, our hygienist, measures gum pockets. Those numbers, plus how the gums look and how the roots feel, tell us whether we are dealing with early inflammation, periodontitis, or recession that needs a specialist look.

Common drivers I see in the chair

The pattern I see most often starts with plaque and tartar below the gumline, pockets that deepen, and gums that pull away as bone support is lost. That periodontal path is the one I take most seriously, because bone does not grow back.

Home habits still matter. Frank teaches light pressure with the brush aimed at a 45 degree angle toward the gum, not scrubbing sideways. New medications, a long gap between cleanings, diabetes, smoking, or a family history of gum disease all change how I read the same measurements.

An exam is what sorts cause from coincidence. I will not invent a single driver without looking.

When watching is fine vs when I treat

Watching can be right when recession is mild, pockets are healthy, there is no active infection, and sensitivity is manageable. Watching means rechecks, not ignoring it. We note the baseline, protect the exposed root (often with professional fluoride), and watch for change.

Treatment starts when gums bleed, pockets deepen, tartar sits under the gumline, or teeth feel loose. Frank handles deep cleaning with numbing when early periodontitis is present, then periodontal maintenance more often than twice a year so bacteria do not settle back in.

Specialist care is for advanced bone loss, grafting for recession, or cases that have moved past what a deep cleaning alone can stabilize. Dr. Nischit Shah, our periodontist, sees patients here as needed for gum grafts, advanced periodontal care, and related procedures, using the same records, X-rays, and 3D scans as Frank and I do.

How I examine recession at mend

You stay at 2981 Michelson Drive, Suite B. Frank measures, I examine, and we show you what we see. Sensitivity from exposed roots is also why we often recommend fluoride after a cleaning: it seals tiny channels that let cold and sweet sting.

Most PPO plans cover deep cleanings and periodontal maintenance. We verify benefits first and give a written estimate before treatment.