Q. Hi, Please could you advise. I have gum recession due to harsh brushing almost all the way round the top front and lower front jaw and a bit at the rear of the front lower incissors (since changed toothbrush to sonic soft bristle). Bits of dentine show under the gum and the gums on the teeth have gone to a V shape showing dentine. I regularly visit my dentist. He’s reffered me to a gum specialist but he advised that the method they use is pulling the gum down and that doesn’t always work. I have no bone loss or disease etc as the dentist has xrayed and tested for all that.

I have read on the net that in the USA and India they do soft tissue grafts from the palate or donor tissue grafts to place round inside the receded gums which then cover the exposed dentine. My teeth aern’t loose nor do they hurt, i’m just worried about it. Is there anywhere in the UK, India, or the USA where I could go and just quickly get this problem fixed as the worry of it is taking over my life. I have for almost 20 years never had anything with sugar or acidic juices etc and floss and brush well. But ive brushed a bit too hard. Because of the exposure of dentine and recedings, I am scared of ever loosing my teeth. I have only 3 fillings ever and all but one of my natural teeth white teeth. I also regularly visit the hygenist as well. I want to go somewhere reliable who can do the job well and fix my depressing problem. Thank you. S

A. Thank you for your question. Firstly, please don’t let the worry take over your life. From the sounds of things you have great motivation in looking after your teeth and things seem to be quite healthy.
I think that the treatment that has been suggested to you for your problem is completely unessesary and that you have been misdiagnosed. I deal with these kinds of situations all the time and treat problems very similar to yours. My background is in restorsative and cosmetic dentistry but I also have training in treat many patients with occlusal (bite) problems. It sounds like the cause of the gum recession stems from the way your teeth fit together. This may sound a little strange but it is usually the cause of problems like yours when there is no evidence of gum disease or bone loss.

It is difficult to explain everything to you on an e-mail but basically when there is extra pressure on your teeth from the bite or the way they fit together and the way they slide past each other during chewing, the tooth flexes around the point of the gum margin. Usually this is where the enamel gets thinner and the root starts. This flexing pressure causes crystals of enamel to chip away from the just above the gum line and therefore exposes dentine, the second layer of the tooth.
This layer wears nine times faster than enamel and when the enamel has gone the dentine gets worn away by normal pressure from a tooth brush. These worn areas are called abfraction lesions. Your bite can be analysed by dentists that are used to treating these kind of problems. Before you choose a dentist you need to make sure that they have a knowledge of occlusion.

If you have gingival grafts done without ttrating the cause of the recession, the procedures will fail and you will have undergone all that treatment for nothing and ended up with the same problem.
I treat many of these types of cases with a combination of orthodontics (braces) and sometimes restorative to repair the abfraction lesions. Often this will resolve the problem, stop any further recession and prevent any bone loss.

There is no need to go to India or USA for any treatment. You need to find a dentist that knows what he/she is talking about. We do exist in this country. If you are willing to travel down to Buckinghamshire I can give you more advice. There is no charge for the initial consulation. What you do with that information is entirely up to you. We may even be able to find someone closer to Preston for you to and see.
I hope this helps

Kind Regards
Dr Komal Suri