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Show Toothbrush Can be Blamed for Recession by Chris M. Jolley, DDS The public has blamed the economic recession on a number of entities, but gingival recession pulling away of the gums) can be blamed on a list of causes. Brushing too hard. Especially in a scrubbing manner, brushing too hard scratches the gums. Brushing too little. A lack of cleaning the teeth, either from not brushing or flossing enough, leads to bacterial build-up on the teeth, which irritates the gums and causes the bone to melt away. Eating disorders, such as bulimia, which is self-induced vomiting. Dipping tobacco erodes the mucous membrane lining (the inside of the cheek) and over time causes recession. Tooth grinding. People don't usually think of teeth as flexible, but as you grind your teeth they flex at the neck of the tooth, which chips away microscopic pieces of the tooth and leads to gum recession. Very crooked teeth. The tooth sticks out sideways where there is no gum and can easily recede. Adult orthodontic movement of teeth (braces). Piercing in the lip or tongue that wear away the gum by rubbing against it. A sensitivity to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), an ingredient in most commercial toothpastes to make the toothpaste foam up. You may feel you have no control over the economic recession, but there is a lot you can do to prevent gingival recession. |